University professor sentenced for bribery in Agadir master's program scandal

The Preliminary Chamber for Financial Crimes at the Marrakech Court of Appeal on Friday convicted a university professor in a case involving «bribery and abuse of influence» linked to admissions into a master’s program at the Faculty of Law of Ibn Zohr University in Agadir. He was sentenced to four years in prison, the same penalty handed down to a second defendant.

The court also issued sentences against other individuals involved in the case. The main defendant’s wife, a trainee lawyer, received a two-year prison sentence. The head of the registry at a primary court was sentenced to one year in prison, while his son, also a trainee lawyer, was given eight months. One defendant was acquitted of all charges.

The charges ranged from bribery and complicity to abuse of influence, depending on each defendant’s role as established during the investigation.

The case dates back to May last year, when authorities opened a judicial inquiry into allegations that several employees and lawyers had been admitted to the master’s program outside legal procedures in exchange for bribes.