Rabat– Authorities in Taroudant have arrested a 35-year-old man in connection with a deadly robbery targeting a foreign national, following precise intelligence provided by the General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST).
According to a statement from the General Directorate of National Security, the suspect, who has a history of multiple theft offenses and shows signs of mental instability, is believed to have been involved in a robbery that resulted in the death of a 79-year-old French citizen.
The victim was discovered earlier Thursday near a caravan he had parked close to a private medical facility where his wife was receiving treatment. The body showed visible facial injuries, suspected to have been caused by a blunt object during the assault.
Investigators from the judicial police, working alongside crime scene technicians, identified the victim and subsequently traced the suspect. The arrest took place in Inezgane during a coordinated operation involving police units from Taroudant, Agadir, and Inezgane.
Authorities recovered personal belongings of the victim in the suspect’s possession at the time of his arrest, confirming his involvement in the theft. Records also indicate that the suspect had been previously hospitalized in a psychiatric facility in Inezgane in March 2025.
The suspect is now under judicial investigation supervised by the competent public prosecutor to determine the full circumstances, motives, and context of the crime. Mental and psychological assessments are also being conducted as part of the ongoing inquiry.
This is not the first time Taroudant has witnessed a violent incident involving a foreign national. In 2020, a 66-year-old French tourist was attacked early on the morning on May 4, near a caravan parking area.
According to the investigation, the suspect approached the woman and assaulted her with a kitchen knife without any apparent motive, reportedly uttering incomprehensible words during the attack.
The victim sustained injuries to her neck and hand and was immediately transported to a hospital for treatment. Medical reports indicated that her condition was stable and not life-threatening.
