Laâfoura and Slimani: Hearing postponed to April 29

Jean victor Lovat to be summoned to appear before the judge

By Karima Rhanem | Morocco TIMES 3/18/2005 | 3:48 pm


Judge Jamal Sarhan decided to postpone Laâfoura and Slimani's case to April 29. Jean Victor Lovat, the Suisse investor, who sent a criminal complaint against the defendants in this case, is to be summoned among others to appear before the judge.

Officials from the ministry of Finance who served between 90 and 97 along with members of the Roches Noires Municipal Council will also be summoned.

The judge refused to grant bail to any of the defendants and will decide wether to summon the head of the budget Office and the judicial police after talking to witnesses in the next hearing.

Most defense laywers demanded bail or temporary release for their defendants, insisting on enough guarantees.

Mostapha Boudhar, Slimani's lawyer, highly criticized the media for biased information and for politicizing the story. He invited the press to be more objective.

“The case for us is very technical, not a political one as the media wants to show,” said
Boudhar.

Enthusiastic, Slimani's lawyer questioned the Judge and the audience whether Jean Victor Lovat's money is considered “public money” and why there was no follow up as to why Lovat is asking for a civil right in this case?

“Why do we have to take what Lovat said for granted as if he was the bible? If Lovat is courageous enough, he should come to Morocco and appear before the Judge. So we do insist on his presence in this case,” said Boudhar.

Boudhar told the judge that the police investigators are not specialized in fraud and embezzlement cases. While studying the case, Boudhar said he noticed the presence of many mistakes and that many facts are misinterpreted.

The defendants' lawyers demanded to include the original documents in which the judicial police based their investigation.

Around 45 summoned witnesses including Omar El Bahraoui, the mayor of Rabat; Mohammed Kemou, Slimani's assistant in the Municipality; Abdelrezak Afilal, a political official, Driss Ettoulali, an official from the Ministry of Interior, and others, attended the trial, except Jean Victor Lovat, Mohammed Kachtani, Mohammed Belhabib, Abdellatif Rais, and Mohammed Jaber.

The court room was full of journalists, lawyers, witnesses and the defendants' relatives. The trial started around 9.00 am and ended at 12.30 pm.