Postponement of Hearing for Former Mayor and Allegations of Financial Misconduct
On May 4, 2026, in what has become a significant legal event in Taza, a judge at the First Chamber of the Appeals Court in Fes announced the postponement of a hearing involving several officials from the Ouled Zebair municipality. This includes the former mayor, Tahami Kouchou, who has been dismissed from his position, alongside his son and other local employees implicated in a case of financial corruption. Sources from Alhadat TV indicate that the judge informed the accused and the plaintiffs that a confrontation was to take place between them; however, due to the overwhelming number of cases scheduled for the day, this confrontation was deferred.
The inquiry into these officials is closely tied to numerous alleged irregularities and issues that have surfaced during Kouchou's tenure, who previously belonged to the Party of Authenticity and Modernity and had transitioned from the Independence Party. He is currently under investigation by both administrative and judicial courts for various financial misconduct accusations, with inquiries led by the judicial police in Fes continuing as of this writing.
The case began to unfold two years ago when former opposition members of the Ouled Zebair council, who currently form the ruling majority, filed a complaint with the public prosecutor. They accused Kouchou of awarding numerous contracts and requests to a company managed by his son’s wife, who is suspected of forgery due to her signature on documents while she was abroad between 2009 and 2021. These documents pertain to various municipal expenses, including vehicle maintenance, event costs, and property renovations.
Notably, on December 5, 2025, the Criminal Chamber tasked with money laundering cases at the Fes Court of First Instance sentenced Kouchou and other officials to two years in prison with a suspended sentence, along with a fine of 50,000 dirhams each for their involvement in money laundering activities. The court's ruling, of which Alhadat TV possesses a copy, stipulates that Kouchou's properties, inherited from his deceased father, were to be seized in accordance with legal ownership regulations.
Furthermore, the Fes Administrative Court decided to dismiss Kouchou from his position following a request from the governor of Taza, citing findings from an investigation conducted by a committee from the Ministry of Interior that uncovered various violations and mismanagement within the local governance system.
As reported by alhadattv.ma.
