Dozens of people involved in a case of embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds by manipulating the passage and implementation of public contracts in the health sector have been made suspect by investigations of the Public Prosecutor at Casablanca’s Court of Appeal.
An investigation of the Public Prosecutor at Casablanca’s Court of Appeal made suspect today the involvement of a group of executives, employees, and engineers working in central and regional instances of the health sector in fraud in a set of public contracts.
In addition, the investigation made suspect also several owners of companies and subcontracts and their employees in commercial activities related to the health sector.
Based on data and information obtained by the National Brigade of Judicial Police, the Prosecutor’s Office has opened judicial investigations and research, listening to all the parties involved in the case to determine their potential involvement.
The investigations revealed that the suspects are involved in committing illegal acts of exceeding and facilitating the passage and obtaining of public contracts during the previous years.
These contracts concern operations of importing and acquiring medical devices and equipment intended to equip hospitals in the public sector in exchange for commissions, money, and benefits.
The Prosecutor’s Office ordered, as a precautionary measure, the seizure of the assets of some of the suspects as they may have illegally obtained them, as well as the seizure of large sums of money from some of the suspects.
All public officials, employees, and business owners suspected of being involved in these illegal acts have been referred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office following the conduct of all the procedures and preliminary investigations.
Yesterday, the National Division of Judicial Police presented 31 suspects before the Prosecutor’s Office, including 18 public employees in the health sector and 13 persons, including employers and employees.
Following the study of the facts of the research conducted in this matter, this Prosecutor’s Office submitted a request to the Investigating Judge in charge of the Directorate of Financial Crimes for an investigation instruction to suspect them of having committed various crimes.
The concerned persons are also suspected of fraud in public contracts related to establishments of the health sector with waste and misappropriation of public money, the constitution of criminal gangs, bribery and corruption, falsification of official documents.
They are suspected as well of falsification of documents issued by the public administration, destruction of a public document facilitating the investigation of crimes and misdemeanors, incitement to commit crimes, disclosure of professional secrets, and abuse of influence.
Subsequently, after interviewing the persons concerned, the investigating judge ordered that 19 of them be placed in pre-trial detention in prison. The judge decided to subject the others to specific judicial control measures, including orders to not leave the national territory for some of the suspects and release them on bail until further investigations.
In December 2021, a complaint was filed by the Moroccan Organization for the Protection of Public Funds to the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor’s Office against the Minister of Health and Social Protection Khaled Ait Taleb, as well as officials of his ministry and companies specializing in the pharmaceutical sector for financial corruption, waste of public money and bribery.
The 2021 report of the Ministry of Health on contracts concluded during the COVID-19 pandemic has raised various questions and suspicions among associations of human rights and those fighting against corruption.
The Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) and Transparency Maroc also filed in December 2021 an official complaint, noting “violations” against the Ministry of Health and public and private actors related to the health sector.
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