Two Moroccan trucks released in Conakry case as third expected soon

Two of three Moroccan trucks held in Guinea’s capital Conakry for more than three months amid a commercial dispute have been released, with the third expected to be freed in the coming days, a well informed source told Hespress.

A representative of the Moroccan transport company whose vehicles were immobilized said two trucks were released about a week ago by Guinean marketers and are now at Morocco’s El Guerguerat border crossing.

The source said their release followed financial settlements with the Guinean side and credited Morocco’s embassy in Conakry with intensive efforts and guarantees that helped end the impasse.

The same source said the remaining truck is expected to be released after a further arrangement in which another truck carrying an orange shipment would be provided to the Guinean side as compensation for what they describe as losses linked to alleged fraud by the Moroccan exporting company at the center of the dispute.

Separately, the Moroccan transport firm has filed a case in Casablanca against the Moroccan exporter it says caused the detention, with proceedings ongoing before the city’s criminal court. The complaint includes allegations of fraud, attempted fraud and breach of trust, according to the source.

An earlier account cited by Hespress said three Guinean companies were in dispute with a Moroccan exporter over shipments agreed in three batches using five trucks in total.

The trucks were reportedly allocated as three consignments for a main Guinean company and one consignment for each of two other firms. The source said the exporter received full payment but serious irregularities later emerged, leading to the holding of some trucks and creating logistical and health related complications.

In December, the national office of Morocco’s road transport union, affiliated with the Democratic Confederation of Labour, said two drivers and an assistant were being held in Guinea because of the dispute. The source speaking to Hespress disputed that characterization, saying the drivers were not detained and were waiting voluntarily to return with their trucks, with one later returning to Morocco.