Court Delays Hearing on Alleged Fraudulent Invoices Case
The Criminal Chamber of the Court of First Instance in Fes has decided to postpone the hearing regarding a case involving allegations of forgery and tax fraud, commonly referred to as the "network of fake and forged invoices." This case includes Abdelilah Baaziz, the President of the Taza Regional Council, along with eleven other individuals, including several contractors. The next hearing is scheduled for July 24, 2026.
Recent developments in the case indicate that the court has granted temporary release to accused Rashid Baaziz, contingent upon a financial bail set at 10,000 dirhams, provided that he is not detained for any other reason. However, the court has denied the requests for temporary release for the other accused, thereby maintaining four individuals in custody. Previously, some other defendants in the same case were granted temporary release.
According to the information available to Hespress, the case has sparked significant local and national interest since April. During the latest session, the defendants insisted on the presence of their legal counsel, while the public prosecutor requested additional time to respond to preliminary objections. This session occurred amid a continuing strike by the Bar Association in Morocco, which has lasted for five consecutive weeks, leading to a new session expected next Friday.
It is noteworthy that the public prosecutor's office in Fes has charged twelve defendants, headed by the President of the Taza Regional Council, following complaints from twelve victims and testimonies from eight witnesses since the judicial proceedings began on April 10. The charges against the President include allegations of "fraud, forgery in an official document, forgery in a commercial document, knowingly producing certificates containing false facts, and tax fraud through the presentation of fictitious invoices." The other defendants face a variety of charges primarily related to "fraud, forgery in an official document, participation in the forgery of a commercial document, and knowingly producing certificates containing false facts, as well as tax fraud through the presentation of fictitious invoices."
As reported by hespress.com.
