chargement...
After months of relentless efforts by five families from Beni Tadjit in the Figuig province, who had been appealing to the Public Prosecutor and the Attorney General at the Court of Appeal in Oujda, justice has finally seen a breakthrough. Their open letter demanded the enforcement of a final judicial ruling against a teacher convicted of assaulting their underage daughters within an educational institution. The teacher has now been apprehended.
The individual, a French language teacher, was initially sentenced in 2021 to three years in prison. This verdict was upheld by both the Court of Appeal in Oujda and the Court of Cassation in Rabat, making it final and binding as of June 2024. Despite this, the teacher remained at large, prompting frustration among the victims' families. They described the situation as "incomprehensible" and spoke of the "psychological and social suffering" endured due to the assault, as detailed in a plea previously reviewed by Yabiladi.
In an interview with Yabiladi, Al-Hussein Boukhadou, the father of one of the victims, revealed, "On August 12, the accused visited the gendarmerie in Beni Tadjit for administrative reasons. During the identification process, it was discovered he was wanted by the law, leading to his immediate arrest and transfer to Oujda prison."
The case dates back to October 2019, when a group of families brought these harrowing events to light. Initially, seven families filed a complaint, alleging that their daughters, aged 8 to 9 and in the third grade, were sexually assaulted and harassed by their teacher. Although two families later withdrew, five families continued to pursue justice in court.
According to the investigating judge's 2021 decision, the accused teacher would instruct students to answer questions on the classroom boards, then engage in inappropriate behavior, including pulling them between his thighs and touching their buttocks and genitals.
Reflecting on the recent developments, Al-Hussein Boukhadou commented, "While a three-year sentence is minimal compared to the severity of the actions, we are relieved by his arrest. We had hoped for a harsher sentence. We try to forget the incident, but it remains a haunting memory for both the families and our victimized children. The crimes committed against our daughters still cause us profound pain."
The father further shared that his daughter, now 13, continues to suffer from deep psychological effects due to her ordeal. The family faced significant challenges in accessing psychological support for her, given their residence in a small town.
