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Join on Telegram Rabat – Minister of Human Rights Mustapha Ramid has commented on the case of Kuwaiti national, who fled Morocco to avoid prosecution for raping a 14-year old girl in Marrakech. The suspect left Moroccan territory a few days after his temporary release from jail.
“If there is a case of rape committed in this situation, this is a serious mistake,” no matter what the suspect’s nationality, he said on February 15.
He said that his opinion is based on common principles that apply to all similar cases and not only the current case. Ramid denied that he has precise information on the case, saying that there are specific institutions in charge of dealing with it.
Read Also: Kuwaiti Pedophile, Rapist Flees Morocco to Avoid Prosecution
Spokesperson of the government Hassan Abayba told the press that the government cannot intervene in the case. The statement comes after human rights groups called on the government to intervene after the Kuwaiti national fled Morocco with the help of the Kuwaiti embassy in January.
The branch of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) in Marrakech continues to condemn the court’s decision to release the suspect and allow him to retain his passport.
A court in Marrakech granted the suspect a temporary release for a fine of MAD 30,000 ($3,000) last month.
Dozens of people held a protest in Marrakech last week, following the suspect’s release.
Member of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH) Omar Arbib condemned the suspect’s provisional release on bail.
He said in a previous statement to MWN that AMDH will continue to ask all relevant institutions to work to bring back the suspect to prosecution.
“We don’t want him to be sentenced in Kuwait. We want the authorities to expel him because he should be sentenced in Morocco, where he committed the crime,” the activist said.
The Kuwaiti man reportedly raped the 14-year old girl in July 2019 in a rented apartment in Marrakech.
The allged victim accused the man of violently raping her in return for MAD 3,600.
The victim told her parents that the suspect hid her in his car’s trunk to get her inside the building and to avoid confrontations with security guards.
Arbib said that he was told by the Kuwaiti embassy in Morocco that the parents forgave the victim “in exchange for money.”
According to Article 486 of the penal code in Morocco, the rape of a minor is punishable by 10 to 20 years in prison.
Suspects involved in rape cases involving people with special needs or pregnant women receive similar sentences.
