French priest accused of sexually abusing refugee minors in Casablanca

A French priest has reportedly been accused of sexually abusing minor refugees in Casablanca. Commenting on the case, the Archbishop of Rabat confirmed that he had «fully cooperated» with both Moroccan and foreign authorities.

Speaking to AFP, Archbishop Cristobal Lopez Romero explained that «as soon as the facts were brought to our attention, we undertook the procedures required by church rules and fully cooperated with authorities, both in Morocco and abroad, by sharing the results of our investigation».

The accusations first surfaced following a report by Moroccan news outlet Enass, which stated that the accused priest, Father A.E., allegedly ran «a system of sexual exploitation» targeting migrant and refugee minors over a period of at least four years. 

According to the same source, a complaint was filed in May 2024, citing at least six alleged victims, mostly from Guinea and one from Cameroon.