Rabat – The Court of Appeal has put on public display a number of items that are said to be confiscated from the defendants on trial in the case. They include various weapons, mobile phones, Moroccan money and foreign currencies.
Rabat – The Court of Appeal has put on public display a number of items that are said to be confiscated from the defendants on trial in the case. They include various weapons, mobile phones, Moroccan money and foreign currencies.
Defense lawyers objected claiming that the court had not followed the appropriate legal procedures in putting the confiscated items on display. In contrast, the Public Prosecutor asserted that the items had been presented to the court along with the documents of the case in conformity with the law, the MAP news agency reported.
The prosecutor added that the items had been verified and deposited at the registry and demanded the dismissal of the defense’s objections.
During the court proceeding, a number of witnesses were called to hear their testimony in the case. Upon entering the courtroom, the defendants shouted, loudly insulting the witnesses, upon which the prosecutor called upon the President of the court to implement the provisions of article 358 of the Code of Criminal Procedure which authorizes the Court to expel defendants when they are disruptive during the hearing.
The Public Prosecutor explained that the Court had summoned these witnesses in accordance with the defense’s demands and the requirements of chapter 452 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in order to arrive at the truth.
The court decided to apply the requirements of the criminal procedure in the event any witness in the hearing was subjected to any harm, asserting that the witnesses are under the protection of the court and have all the guarantees conferred by the law.
In a statement to the press, Ibrahim Rachidi, a Casablanca lawyer representing one of the civil rights claimants, said that what had taken place during the hearing, including the verbal attacks on the witnesses by the defendants, had been intended to obstruct the normal course of the trial.
Rachidi asserted that these witnesses had been called at the defense’s request, and the reaction by the defendants therefore demonstrated a deliberate intent to obstruct the proceedings.
Regarding the reports of the Medical Committee on the accused, the lawyer asserted that all the parties had received the reports of the medical examinations conducted on 16 of the accused by three university professors. Five of the defendants had refused to be examined.
The court is expected to review the Medical Committee’s reports. Four witnesses and one of the defendants who is on probation did not attend the session. The Court granted an additional 48 hours to summon the witnesses.
