Wealthy Moroccan heirs detained for alleged rape of French lawyer

After 72 hours in custody, the investigating judge at the Casablanca Court of Appeal ordered the pre-trial detention of three individuals at Oukacha Prison on Saturday. This follows a complaint filed by a French lawyer accusing them of rape. The lawyer supported her claim with a medical expert report prepared in Paris, which reportedly found evidence of sexual activity and injuries, according to Le360.

The accused include Kamil Bennis, nephew of Ali Bennis, the former president of pharmaceutical company Laprophan; Mhamed Alj, son of Chakib Alj, president of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises; and their friend Saad Slaoui.

In addition to the French lawyer’s complaint, her fiancé, Mohamed Amine Najib, who holds a position within the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, filed a separate complaint accusing Kamil Bennis of raping his fiancée. After questioning Najib, the investigating judge made the unexpected decision to prosecute him as well, though he remains at liberty.

An unnamed fourth suspect has been charged with participating in the alleged rape and is currently wanted by authorities.

During his hearing, Kamil Bennis admitted to having a «consensual» sexual relationship with the French lawyer but denied the rape allegations. The other two defendants corroborated Bennis’s account and denied having any sexual relations with the lawyer.

The case dates back to November 2, when Kamil Bennis hosted a party at a luxurious villa in the Ain Diab area of Casablanca’s Anfa district. Approximately 100 guests, including men and women from affluent families, attended the event.