Doha – A horrific crime has shaken the Moroccan city of Kenitra as a 16-year-old boy confessed to raping and killing his 5-year-old niece before disposing of her body in a garbage container.
The teen committed the egregious act in the suburban area of Sidi Taibi on Monday.
The victim, identified as Jaidaa, disappeared while her mother was attending Taraweeh prayers in Sidi Taibi, near Kenitra.
After her disappearance, the family and local residents immediately began searching for her, with her photos being widely shared on local social media platforms and community pages.
The girl’s body was discovered Tuesday morning by cleaning workers in a large waste container near her home.
The Royal Gendarmerie quickly launched an investigation and arrested the suspect within hours of finding the body.
According to initial investigation details, the teen uncle admitted to raping his niece before strangling her to death.
Local media sources reported that a law enforcement officer’s suspicions led to the rapid arrest of the perpetrator.
The victim lived in the administrative district near the commune headquarters and Royal Gendarmerie center in Sidi Taibi.
The suspect has been placed under preventive custody under the supervision of the public prosecutor’s office while investigations continue into the circumstances and motives of the crime.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with citizens expressing their dismay over negligent parental supervision and calling for enhanced security measures to protect children from harm.
Local residents have demanded stronger safety measures in the area and severe punishment for the suspect responsible for this atrocious act.
The body has been transferred to the Kenitra morgue for autopsy as authorities continue their investigation.
This crime recalls a similar case from 2020 involving the rape and murder of 11-year-old Adnane in Tangier, which resulted in a death sentence for the main perpetrator.
However, it should be noted that Morocco has not carried out any executions since 1993.
Last December, Morocco voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for a global moratorium on executions, marking a departure from its 17-year stance of abstention.
According to the Ministry of Justice, there are currently 88 death row inmates in the country, of whom one is a woman.
