A Casablanca investigating judge has ordered five suspects linked to an alleged “court brokers” network to remain free pending further investigation, after they were referred to him Thursday by the public prosecutor at the Court of Appeal.
According to informed Hespress AR sources, the prosecutor decided to drop charges against five of the 12 individuals who appeared before the public prosecutor’s office in Casablanca, citing insufficient evidence following an inquiry by the National Brigade of Judicial Police. Five others were sent to the investigating judge, who ruled that they will be prosecuted while free.
The prosecutor also referred two suspects to the public prosecutor at the El Jadida criminal court, citing jurisdiction.
The investigation was launched after complaints were filed by residents of rural areas near El Jadida, in Sidi Bennour province, alleging that the suspects had interfered in court cases.
The latest developments follow earlier judicial police investigations ordered by the public prosecution. In July, three Justice Ministry employees were sent to Ain Sebaa local prison in Casablanca. At the time, three court clerks from the El Jadida judicial district—out of eight suspects—were referred to the investigating judge by the Casablanca Court of Appeal prosecutor.
Those individuals were charged with forming a criminal network, bribery, corruption, mediating with public officials, trading in judicial rulings and manipulating prison sentence durations, according to the case file prepared by the National Brigade.
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