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Casablanca’s Appeal court upheld today the four-month sentence handed to radio host Mohamed Bousfiha, known as Momo. The verdict confirmed Moro’s involvement in a staged on-air robbery.
In April, a Casablanca court sentenced the radio host, working for Hit Radio, to four months.
The verdict came after police opened an investigation in March to determine the circumstances of an alleged robbery documented on air during Momo’s “morning show” radio program.
During the broadcast, a caller, posing as an everyday radio enthusiast, suddenly shouted “a thief, a thief!” implying that he was being robbed live on air.
Moroccan police later revealed that investigations by the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) determined the caller had assumed a false identity and fabricated a fictitious robbery scene with the help of another person.
This scheme was intended for personal gain and also to increase both the show’s and the radio station’s popularity, the police statement said.
In its initial ruling in April, the court also sentenced another suspect to five months in prison and another to three months for being involved in the case.
Today’s appeal court upheld the court verdict against one of the suspects but reduced another individual’s prison sentence from five months to four months.
Following the controversy, Hit Radio denied involvement in the staged robbery.
“We strongly refute any implication in the commission of these acts, completely contrary to our values,” Hit Radio said in a statement last month.
The radio station further argued that it had nothing to do with the incident, and that its collaborators were “entirely unrelated to this matter.”
Hit Radio notably denied “any connection with the individuals behind the alleged acts.”
In April, Momo released a video denying any connection with any of the two suspects involved in the staged robbery.
“I trust the judiciary and our competent security services…My lawyers are convinced and have evidence that I have no connection with the defendants,” Momo said, thanking all people for their support.
