Rabat – Moroccan police arrested a 44-year old primary school teacher for his alleged involvement in indecent assault and sexual harassment against eight girls in El Kelaa des Sraghna, 320.5 kilometers from Rabat.
Police in the town opened a judicial investigation on the case on Wednesday evening, said a statement from the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN).
The town’spolice department received complaints from the guardians of eight girls accusing the suspect of sexual harassment and indecent assault, according to the statement.
Police also submitted the students to medical expertise to determine his involvement in the case.
The 44-year old man has been placed in police custody, pending further investigations into the case.
Morocco’s penal code criminalizes sexual assault against children, and activists have been calling for even more severe punishement for such crimes.
Article 485 of the code stipulates that if a perpetrator is invovled in a violent assault against a child or someone under the age of eighteen, an incapacitated person, a handicapped person, or a person known for his weak mental capacities, the culprit is punished with imprisonment ranging between 10 to 20 years.
The case of the eight girls comes as Morocco’s government vows to streghten its laws to address child abuse.
Similar, outrageous cases sparked concerns in Morocco recently, especially after a heinious child rape and murder case in Tangier.
Last year, a 24-year-old man kidnapped, raped, and murdered a 11-year old boy in the city.
The crime brought to light pedophilia issues in Morocco. And with activists calling for stronger and firmer measures to protect children, a Moroccan court recently sentenced the man to death penalty.
