Moroccan politician loses parliament seat following World Cup ticket scam

Moroccan parliamentarian Mohamed El Hidaoui, sentenced for embezzlement over tickets destined for the country's fans in last year's World Cup in Qatar, has lost his seat at the parliament. The decision was made public, Tuesday December 26, by the country’s Constitutional Court.

The Constitutional Court was seized by Thami Lmsekki, a politician and member of the Democratic and Social Movement Party. Lmsekki participated to the September 2021 general elections alongside National Rally of Independents politician El Hidaoui, who was elected in Safi.

For the record, El Hidaoui, who also chairs Olympic Safi football club, was sentenced by a first instance court to 18 months in prison and fined 2,000 dirhams after tickets of the world Cup, promised for Morocco fans, were sold in the black market.

Radio Mars sports journalist Adil El Omari was also sentenced in the same case. He was handed a 10-month sentence and fined 1,000 dirhams. The two appealed the sentence in the trial that resumed on Tuesday.