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Rabat – The NGO “Matkich Waldi” (Don’t Touch My Child) has announced that the Court of Appeal in El Jadida has sentenced each of the six men involved in the rape of a teen boy at the annual Moulay Abdellah Amghar festival to 15 years in prison.
The court has also ordered them to pay a civil compensation of MAD 100,000 to the victim.
The case involves a 13-year-old boy from Youssoufia, who lost his father and whose mother suffers from a serious mental illness. He attended the festival in August with a group of young men from Youssoufia, Sidi Bennour, and Sidi Ahmed.
Reports indicate that the boy was repeatedly drugged and sexually abused over several days, starting on Tuesday of the festival week. Upon regaining consciousness, he realized that several men had sexually assaulted him.
After returning home later that week, he reportedly disclosed the assault to his neighbors, who often care for him due to his mother’s illness. They immediately reported the case to the police and took him to the provincial hospital in Youssoufia. Because of his severe condition, he was later transferred to Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech for specialized treatment.
Read also: ONDE Activates National Child Psychotrauma Unit After El Jadida Child Gang Rape
The case garnered extensive media attention, as well as on social media, with users sympathizing with the young boy and calling for the harshest punishment for the perpetrators.
Matkich Waldi hailed the role of the judiciary, describing the ruling as an important step toward protecting children and punishing abusers.
However, the organization said that it will continue to support the victim during the appeal process, aiming to ensure that the harshest possible punishments are applied.
The NGO also expressed gratitude to lawyer Hicham Hartoun from the Casablanca Bar, who volunteered to represent the victim without compensation.
Matkich Waldi said it will continue to follow the case until all judicial processes are completed.
