The Financial Crimes Chamber of the Court of Appeal in Marrakech issued a ruling on Tuesday, declaring both Arabic Belqaid, the former mayor of Marrakech, and his first deputy, Younes Ben Slimane, not guilty in connection with the contracts related to the COP22 climate conference.
The judicial panel accepted the appeal on formal grounds and subsequently decided to annul the initial ruling against Younes Ben Slimane, who had previously been convicted. The court reiterated that he should not be held accountable, thus declaring him innocent while upholding the other provisions of the decision and ordering the public treasury to bear the costs of the trial.
This judicial development follows months after the Court of Cassation in Rabat annulled the previous appellate ruling in the case, stating that the decision lacked adequate legal reasoning. This was deemed a violation of one of the fundamental principles of a fair trial by the court.
In July, the criminal chamber of the Court of Cassation decided to send the case back to the Court of Appeal in Marrakech for reconsideration by a different panel, a move aimed at ensuring adherence to procedural rules and reassessing the case based on required legal standards.
The COP22 contracts case has garnered significant attention over the past few years due to its association with the management of contracts related to Marrakech hosting the international climate conference, alongside extensive political and media discussions surrounding the issue.
As reported by alyaoum24.com.
