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Rabat- Member of the Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM) Omar Zerad was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison on charges of corruption.
The Criminal Chamber of Court of First Instance in Fez condemned Zerad, who is also deputy mayor of Targuit town in the northern region of Al Hoceima, and his deputy and accomplice, Mohamed Zamou, to three years in jail on charges of corruption, bribery, and abuse of power to intimidate and influence others into action. Zerad also received a fine of MAD 730,000.
Throughout the investigation, the politician denied all corruption charges leveled against him and pleaded not guilty in court.
However, the prosecutor presented testimonies from witnesses and Zerad’s own criminal record, including forgery and false testimonies that led the court to rule against him, reported the newspaper Al Massae.
To address problems of corruption, the Moroccan government has proposed a wide variety of measures, including the new anti-corruption hotline (0537718888) and a greater national plan to end all forms of corruption by 2050, such as administrative corruption, public funds mismanagement, and power abuse.
Although Morocco slightly improved in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index in 2017 with 40 points compared to 37 points in 2016 below the global average of 43, it still has a long way to go for the realization of social justice.
