Police Open Investigation After 19-Year-Old Sets Himself on Fire in Casablanca

Rabat – Police have opened an investigation into the case of recently deceased Zakaria Chaouikh, a 19-year-old young man from Casablanca who set himself on fire during a Facebook livestream on March 16. The deceased man claimed to have been assaulted following a labor dispute at a wholesale fish market.

Chaouikh took to social media to speak on the “injustice” he went through at his workplace and the police station.

The young man’s video was widely shared by Moroccans on social media platforms. After talking about the dispute for more than eight minutes, he stood up and poured a flammable substance on his body and deliberately set himself on fire. The young man was hospitalized and later died of his injuries.

Chaouikh claimed the police did not investigate his dispute properly and that two men who assaulted him gave bribes to local police. “They have money and have been imprisoned before,” he said.

Following Zakaria’s allegations, police opened a thorough investigation.

The General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) has “dispatched an inspection committee to verify the allegations attributed to its employees to seek the truth and also to hold those responsible for any presumed transgression,” according to reports.

Police reports noted that on March 2, the victim filed a complaint before the Hraouiyin police department in Casablanca in which he explained that he had a dispute with two people who worked at the wholesale fish market.

The dispute escalated and Zakaria was physically assaulted by them. Police noted that they immediately opened an investigation into the case.

“The defendant’s statement was collected and the Public Prosecution was notified of the circumstances of the case and the developments of the investigation,” reports added.

One of the alleged assaulters was put in custody as he was caught in possession of hashish, while the second suspect was released on March 4.

Police went to the wholesale fish market and conducted an investigation regarding the circumstances of the dispute. The testimonies of four witnesses confirmed what happened at the scene, the reports added.

The two accusers were brought before the competent public prosecutor for a second time on March 5 and were set up for a trial on March 23.

Live streaming from a cafe, Zakaria said he would be celebrating his 20th birthday on March 19, if he stays alive. He repeated several times that he wants justice to be served.

After he was severely beaten up by the two workers, he received a medical certificate for a recovery period of 21 days then he filed the complaint, urging the police to view CCTV footage in the market and to call witnesses.

He said he couldn’t sleep for days due to the injustice that was done to him.

He stressed that he sought police to serve him justice, but not much has been done according to him.

“I went to get a receipt to present it before the court. The police started to search my clothes to see if I am carrying any drugs so they can hold me countable,” the victim said, adding, “they kicked me out and insulted me. I felt depressed.”

“What I am about to do now is because of those people who belittled me and the police did not get me justice,” he added.