Audit leaks reveal widespread corruption in Moroccan local governments

Leaked findings from regional audit reports have revealed widespread financial irregularities and corruption in several local municipalities in the Casablanca-Settat and Fes-Meknes regions, implicating both current and former local government officials.

According to Hespress AR sources familiar with the matter, inspection committees from Morocco’s regional audit courts uncovered serious misconduct, including the embezzlement of public funds, inflated purchase orders, fake invoices, and suspicious contracts granted as political favors.

The audits also noted repeated violations of public procurement laws, particularly the improper use of specific vendors without fair competition.

The reports highlighted how many municipalities bypassed competitive bidding procedures, undermining transparency and efficiency in the use of public funds. Irregularities were identified in procurement related to quarry supplies, uniforms for municipal workers and their families, decorative items, gifts, and maintenance materials for public lighting, electricity, pest control, and health services.

The same sources said several cases are expected to be referred to Morocco’s financial crimes courts, while others have already been transferred by the Supreme Court of Auditors to the Ministry of Justice. The National Judicial Police Brigade is expected to investigate further.

Auditors also cited violations related to recordkeeping, such as the failure to archive key procurement documents, potentially aimed at concealing misconduct. In some cases, there was no documentation of who chaired public bid opening sessions or records of bidders who were disqualified without proper notification, contrary to legal requirements.

One of the more serious violations includes the absence of Treasury representatives during bid openings, in direct breach of Article 34 of Decree No. 2.06.388, which regulates public contracts in Morocco.

The reports noted a spike in the number of purchase orders canceled by local officials, particularly in the Casablanca-Settat region. Many of these cancellations were justified on the grounds of changing economic conditions—a rationale permitted under Moroccan public procurement law in cases of unforeseen economic or technical developments or if the cost of the winning bid exceeds the allocated budget.

Following the judicial recess, the Ministry of Justice is expected to receive a new batch of case files based on findings from state audits, potentially leading to high-profile prosecutions within elected municipal bodies across the country.

These revelations come as Morocco faces growing public pressure to combat corruption and ensure accountability among its public officials.