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Rabat – The King’s Prosecutor at the Casablanca Court of Appeal has issued a clarification on the case of Badr, a young man who fell victim to an intentional vehicular homicide last month.
The 23-year-old’s tragic death triggered widespread public outrage, fueled by suspicions of a repeat offender’s alleged involvement and accusations that the perpetrator had escaped justice for similar crimes due to his family’s financial influence.
Amidst widespread uproar and concerns about the handling of the case, the prosecutor sought to address claims circulating on social media and shed light on the legal proceedings that took place in relation to a previous case involving the alleged murderer.
In a statement released on Monday, the Prosecutor General near the Court of Appeal of Casablanca clarified the details surrounding a judgment made on March 12, 2019, by Casablanca’s Court of First Instance.
The judgment found the individual responsible for a fatal traffic accident guilty of lack of control and failure to execute maneuvers to avoid the incident, resulting in the involuntary manslaughter of two young men.
Contrary to what is circulating on social media, the statement said that the judgment had been subject to an appeal by the public prosecutor’s office.
It had also been claimed online that the initial judgment, which imposed fines of MAD 7,500 for involuntary manslaughter, MAD 300 for lack of control, and MAD 300 for failure to execute necessary maneuvers to prevent the accident, was not appealed by the public prosecutor.
Read also: Moroccans Launch #JusticeForBadr Campaign, Seeking Accountability for Tragic Killing
Upon thorough examination of the case, the clarification revealed that the initial decision had indeed been appealed by the public prosecutor on the same date the judgment was rendered, December 3, 2019.
The case also underwent an appellate review, resulting in a decision by the Correctional Chamber on July 25, 2019, which upheld the initial conviction of the individual behind the accident and added a one-year prison term.
The fines for involuntary manslaughter were increased to MAD 30,000, and the perpetrator’s driver’s license was suspended for a two-year period, effective from the date of the actual license suspension.
The statement concluded that the public prosecutor will ensure that the decision is executed once it becomes final.
Badr’s tragic death sparked nationwide outrage, with concerns about the alleged involvement of a repeat offender and a pattern of managing to evade accountability.
Moroccan social media users launched an online campaign demanding justice and accountability for the 23-year-old’s death.
Soon after the crime took place, authorities managed to arrest five individuals for their alleged involvement in the case. The suspects are facing charges of forming a criminal gang, intentional homicide, attempted intentional homicide, and theft.
