Rabat – A court in Marrakech has sentenced a university professor to four years in prison in a case of fraud and the illegal sale of master’s degrees.
The Criminal Chamber for Financial Crimes at the Marrakech Court of Appeal issued the verdict on Friday. The court found the professor, identified as A.Q, guilty of his involvement in forgery and trafficking in university degrees.
The defendant, who is a faculty member at the Faculty of Law affiliated with Ibn Zohr University in Agadir, also received a fine of MAD 237,000 ($23,700).
The court handed down similar sentences to other individuals involved in the case. A second defendant identified as L.Z received four years in prison and a fine of MAD 237,009, while another defendant H.H was sentenced to two years in prison and fined MAD 187,000.
Meanwhile, M.Z received one year in prison and a MAD 40,000 fine, and H.Z received eight months in prison with a MAD 10,000 fine. The court acquitted one defendant, identified as (H.B).
The case dates back to May 2025, when police arrested the professor following an order from an investigative judge in Marrakech. Authorities were probing corruption allegations involving the manipulation of admissions to master’s programs and the granting of degrees in exchange for money or influence.
According to prosecutors, the main suspect faced charges of bribery and abuse of influence. Other defendants were charged with participating in bribery and complicity in influence peddling.
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This is not the first time the professor has faced legal consequences. The Agadir Court of Appeal sentenced him to six months in prison and a MAD 10,000 fine in October 2025 in a separate case involving defamation related to gender-based accusations. The court also ordered him to pay civil damages to the complainant.
The National Authority for Integrity, Prevention and Fight Against Corruption, in May last year, called on the state’s legal representative to join the case as a civil party on behalf of the Moroccan government. The request was accepted, which shows the seriousness of the case at the national level.
The case has drawn strong reactions in Morocco, especially on social media, where many users expressed frustration over corruption in universities. Some described the scandal as damaging to the credibility of public higher education and unfair to students who earn their degrees through merit.
Others have called for stricter oversight of university admissions and stronger accountability mechanisms to prevent similar cases in the future.
