A Typographical Error Freezes Compensation for Decades
A Moroccan family has revealed that a seemingly minor administrative error has obstructed their access to compensation stemming from a tragic hotel fire in Amsterdam that claimed the life of their father over 50 years ago. Ahmed Azroual, hailing from Boumalne Dades in the Tinghir province, recounted the unfortunate event which occurred in December 1970. His father, Mohamed Ben Brahim Azroual, perished in a fire at a hotel in the Dutch capital, and since then, the compensation earmarked for the family by Dutch authorities and insurance companies has remained inaccessible.
According to Azroual, the problem lies in an inconsistency regarding his father's birthplace, which was recorded as "Boulman" in various official documents instead of the correct name, "Boumalne." This small typographical error has led to the funds being frozen at the Deposit and Management Fund, where they have remained for decades, despite being officially transferred to Morocco. Azroual only became aware of the details surrounding the case in 2004 when he received documents from his uncle, who had been managing the situation since the incident. A letter from the prosecutor’s office in Ouarzazate that year confirmed that the compensation was indeed held at the fund.
In a bid to rectify this situation, Azroual has recently reached out to the fund for clarification and has lodged a formal complaint with Morocco’s Ombudsman, seeking an official response and assistance in obtaining the original transfer documents from the Dutch authorities. This ongoing struggle serves as a stark reminder of how bureaucratic errors can have lasting impacts on families and their access to justice and compensation.
As reported by en.hespress.com.
