The Casablanca Court of Appeal witnessed a packed courtroom on Thursday during the latest session of the ongoing trial involving the alleged international drug trafficker dubbed the “Sahara Escobar.”
The session was scheduled to hear testimony from 14 witnesses, though several key individuals, including Moroccan singer Latifa Raafat and the ex-wife of former Eastern Region President Abdennabi Biioui, were absent.
Court officials reported that Raafat could not be reached due to an incomplete address, while Biioui’s ex-wife was not located at the listed address.
Several other witnesses, including a notary who presented a medical certificate, and others whose locations were untraceable, also failed to appear.
Meanwhile, MP Abdelwahed Chaouki, along with former associates of financier Hadj Ahmed Ben Brahim, did attend the session.
Defense lawyers argued for a postponement to allow all witnesses to be present, emphasizing that selective hearings could affect the fairness of the trial.
The court decided to reissue summonses to absent witnesses but proceeded with hearing one present witness, despite objections from the defense and calls for consolidated testimonies.
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