Denver – A second Moroccan official was arrested for corruption this week, after authorities witnessed the man accepting a bribe of over $2,200.
Hanafi Aboukir, elected last March as the head of the Autonomous Water and Electricity Distribution Authority of Fez (RADEEF), was apprehended in a sting operation on Friday, October 8. Local police reportedly received a tip of Aboukir’s corruption from a toll-free hotline dedicated to reporting officials suspected of corruption in the country.
Aboukir’s arrest follows the arrest of MP Said Zaidi earlier this week. Zaidi, a representative of the Cherrat commune near Rabat, was similarly arrested after receiving a bribe from a local entrepreneur.
The entrepreneur alleged Zaidi was receiving a bribe following attempts to blackmail the businessman, although Zaidi denies the accusations.
Following a tip from an anonymous source, authorities set up an operation to apprehend Zaidi after the official received an envelope containing over $44,000.
The new toll-free number is part of an initiative from Morocco’s Public Prosecutor’s office to crack down on corruption throughout Morocco’s political system.
“It is a consecration of the approach by the ministry in the choice and the appointment of new officials, based on professional skills and merit, to improve the management and the quality of administrative action,” stated the city’s Director of Planning and Equipment Laila Hammouchi.
Hammouchi was the official that presided over Aboukir’s installation into the position in March. In his position as Director-General, Aboukir was responsible for providing electricity and water for over one million citizens, and was operating with a budget of over $187 million from 2021 to 2025.
