Taroudant - The judicial police in the Beni Makada district of Tangier arrested a man, 51, who attempted to rape an eight-year-old girl on Wednesday night, April 6.
Taroudant – The judicial police in the Beni Makada district of Tangier arrested a man, 51, who attempted to rape an eight-year-old girl on Wednesday night, April 6.
A statement from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) indicates that the accused was arrested in an old house in the Beni Makada neighborhood during an attempt to rape the young girl.
The statement added that the suspect kidnapped the victim with the aim of driving her to his house.
The suspect was placed in custody while an investigation takes place under the supervision of the general prosecutor.
The same source added that the little girl was given a medical examination to determine the nature of the attack.
Morocco’s penal code punishes sex offenders with up to 30 years in prison. Some recent cases involving pedophilia in Morocco have resulted in relatively light sentences, leading to public outcry.
According to a report by the association “Touche Pas à Mon Enfant” (“Don’t touch my child”), an estimated 71 cases of sexual abuse against children take place in the kingdom every day. There are approximately 26,000 cases annually.
Charki Draiss, Minister Delegate to the Minister of the Interior said that over 192,000 cases of rape were reported across Morocco during the first eight months of 2015.
