In addition to the climatic hazards and the consequences of the earthquake that swept the Al Haouz region on the night of September 8, 2024, the population is facing a fraud case involving several contractors. Revelations from a recent investigation report irregularities and serious shortcomings that have affected disaster victims in several Douars of the communes of Imgdal, Talat N'Yaaqoub, and Ouirgane, located in the Al Haouz province.
In a written response to the question asked by MP Aicha El Kout of the Justice and Development Party (PJD) group, the Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, indicated that “the investigation made it possible to identify a contractor, a resident of Douar Bouzoug Aït Melou, accused of having defrauded 14 beneficiaries in Douar Taghzout and 4 others in Douar Tinmel”.
In detail, the minister reveals that despite the contracts signed individually with the disaster victims, he did not complete the agreed work and did not respect the technical standards in force. Informed of the situation, the local authorities ordered the contractor to resume the work or reimburse the sums received. Finally, he was arrested by the Royal Gendarmerie in Aït Melloul.
The culprit in question was recommended by a Caid of the region and an authority auxiliary, so the disaster victims did not doubt his good faith and placed blind trust in this contractor who turned out to be a fraudster.
Another contractor, residing in Douar Tassa Ouirgane (Ouirgane commune), is also accused of contractual breaches towards the inhabitants of Douar Al Arab (Asni commune). Currently on the run, he is the subject of a wanted notice. Similarly, a third contractor, originally from Béni Mellal, did not respect his commitments to 9 beneficiaries from the Douars Tinzert, Marigha Oulia, and Laazib. Local authorities are trying to contact him, while encouraging victims to file complaints with the public prosecutor's office.
As for the inhabitants of Douar Taghzout, they denounced in their complaints the involvement of two authority auxiliaries, accused of having facilitated the activities of the first incriminated contractor. During their hearing, the latter denied “any recommendation, stating that their role was limited to providing information and monitoring the progress of the work to accelerate reconstruction”. As for the Caid of Ouirgane, he was not mentioned in the filed complaints.
In another file, a rural Moqaddem of Douar Marigha (Ouirgane commune) was dismissed on December 2, 2024, for having demanded sums of money from disaster victims in exchange for promises of intervention with central services. The Al Haouz province has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy towards acts of extortion and abuse of trust, announcing strict disciplinary measures against any authority auxiliary found guilty.
Local authorities continue to follow these files to guarantee the rights of the disaster victims and prevent any delay in reconstruction. They have called on victims to file individual complaints in order to initiate legal proceedings and hold the involved actors accountable.
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