Saïd Naciri, the former president of Wydad Casablanca football club and a prominent member of the Authenticity and Modernity Party, appeared composed and confident as he stood trial before the criminal chamber of the Casablanca Court of Appeal on Friday.
Naciri is one of the key figures implicated in the high-profile case known as the “Sahara Escobar” affair, which centers on an international drug trafficking network allegedly led by Malian national El Hadj Ahmed Ben Ibrahim, dubbed the “Escobar of the Sahara.”
During the hearing, presided over by Judge Ali Tarchi, Naciri firmly denied all charges against him, expressing his full cooperation with the court and requesting more time to present evidence he claims will prove his innocence. He assured the court that he remained at its disposal and was prepared to help uncover the truth.
Confident in his defense, Naciri stated he would soon present facts that could “change the course of the case.” He emphasized that the accusations were baseless and founded on false premises, asserting he had verifiable information that would “take the court from fiction to reality.”
As a result of his request, the court postponed the case until next week, when Naciri is expected to provide testimony. His appearance has drawn significant public attention, given his political and sporting influence.
Naciri faces several charges, including fraud, forgery of official and commercial documents, abuse of power during his tenure as a parliamentarian and president of the Casablanca prefectural council, as well as allegations of intimidation and coercion of individuals to give false testimony.
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