Doha – On Thursday, September 12, the police force in Casablanca, in coordination with the General Directorate for National Territorial Surveillance (DGST), arrested an individual suspected of deceiving and holding a minor girl against her will, combined with sexual assault.
Police had received a complaint alleging that the suspect had lured a 16-year-old girl before abducting and sexually assaulting her.
Upon investigation, the authorities identified the individual in question and subsequently arrested him in the rural area of Labyaaida on the outskirts of Settat city.
The suspect has been placed in police custody at the disposal of the judicial investigation, which is being carried out under the supervision of the competent public prosecutor’s office, in order to uncover all the circumstances and background of this case.
Efforts will also be made to reveal all the criminal acts attributed to the individual concerned.
According to Article 484 under the Moroccan Penal Code, indecently assaulting, or attempting to indecently assault, a minor under the age of 18, a disabled person, a handicapped person, or a person known for their mental weakness, whether male or female, without violence, is a crime punishable by imprisonment for two to five years.
The prison sentence can range from two to five years and may reach 20 years if the acts were committed with the use of violence and the victim was a child, a disabled person, or a person known for their mental weakness, according to Article 486.
Article 487 of the Penal Code specifies the applicable penalties if the perpetrator is one of the victim’s ascendants, has authority over them, is their guardian or a paid servant, in addition to other cases.
Article 488 determines the penalties applicable in the cases referred to in Articles 484 to 487, if the crime resulted in taking the victim’s virginity, with penalties of up to 30 years in prison.
According to El Hassan Daki, the Prosecutor General of the King at the Court of Cassation, Morocco’s public prosecutor’s office registered a total of 3,295 cases of sexual assault against children in 2022, representing over 40% of all violent crimes against children.
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