Escobar of the Sahara: Court Postpones Examination of Summoning Requests
The Casablanca Court of Appeal has postponed examining the defense's preliminary requests in the Escobar of the Sahara case, including summoning notable figures like Ahmad Ahmad and Ahmed Ben Brahim. A new hearing is set for November 29, focusing on procedural issues before addressing the merits of the case involving multiple accused individuals.
HASSAN BENYOUB 
The Casablanca Court of Appeal has decided to postpone the examination of several preliminary requests made by the defense of the accused in the Escobar of the Sahara case. The panel of judges, chaired by Ali Torchi, has postponed the examination of the summoning requests of various personalities as witnesses until the end of the examination of the procedural flaws and preliminary requests.
The Summoning Requests
Among the summoning requests are those of prominent political, sports, and artistic personalities, including the former president of the African Football Confederation (CAF), Ahmad Ahmad, as well as the businessman Ahmed Ben Brahim, nicknamed the "Escobar of the Sahara". Other personalities are also mentioned, such as Hicham Aït Menna, current president of Wydad Casablanca, the Moroccan song diva Latifa Raafat, ex-wife of Haj Ben Brahim, as well as political personalities from the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM).
The Trial
The court has decided to postpone the examination of these requests until the end of the examination of the preliminary requests in this case, in which several figures from the PAM are being prosecuted, including Saïd Naciri, former president of Wydad, and Abdenbi Bioui, former president of the Oriental Regional Council, as well as 26 other accused, two of whom are in provisional detention.
The Next Steps
A new hearing is scheduled for Friday, November 29, during which the pleadings on the preliminary requests and procedural flaws will continue, before the court begins to hear the accused and examine the merits of the case. In addition to the hearing of Ben Brahim as a witness, as well as the summoning of Raafat, Aït Menna, and other PAM political personalities, the defense lawyers have also requested the appearance of the director of the El Jadida prison, where Ben Brahim has been incarcerated since his conviction in 2019 to 10 years in prison for drug trafficking.
Table: The Summoning Requests
Personality
Reason for the Summoning Request
Ahmad Ahmad
Former president of CAF
Ahmed Ben Brahim
Businessman and main accused
Hicham Aït Menna
Current president of Wydad Casablanca
Latifa Raafat
Ex-wife of Haj Ben Brahim and accused
PAM political personalities
Accused of corruption and drug trafficking
List of Accused
- Ahmed Ben Brahim
- Saïd Naciri
- Abdenbi Bioui
- 26 other accused, including two in provisional detention
Conclusion
The Escobar of the Sahara case continues to attract particular attention and generates great public interest. The Casablanca Court of Appeal has decided to postpone the examination of the summoning requests until the end of the examination of the preliminary requests and procedural flaws. The next steps in the trial will be crucial in determining the outcome of this complex and sensitive case.
