The session, presided over by Judge Ali Tarchi, began with the judge calling on one of the detained defendants—a business owner—for questioning. However, many lawyers refused to enter the courtroom, prompting Mohamed Hissi, head of the Casablanca Bar Association, to intervene and request a two-week postponement for the sake of due process. The court partially granted the request, rescheduling the trial for the following Friday instead of Tuesday.
The defense had previously sought the court’s approval to summon several individuals, including a Malian national alleged to be a drug dealer, as witnesses in the case to allow for confrontations with the accused. The court postponed its decision on this motion until Thursday.
Regarding a motion to produce two CDs containing banking institution responses on account details—critical evidence according to the defense—the court confirmed that the requested materials were already on file and accessible to the defense. However, the court dismissed a separate defense request to reopen deliberations for additional responses to the prosecution.
The defendants in this case face multiple charges, including forgery of official documents by fabricating agreements, participating in a conspiracy to possess, traffic, transport, and export drugs, as well as attempted drug trafficking, fraud, attempted fraud, and abuse of authority by individuals in official positions.
The trial has drawn significant attention due to its scope and the gravity of the allegations, which span multiple jurisdictions and involve sophisticated drug trafficking operations. The case is expected to continue next week with the questioning of the accused.
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