HIBAPRESS
An individual from the Moroccan community residing in Italy has filed a complaint with the relevant authorities in Morocco, concerning suspected fraud and deception in the purchase of an Eid sacrifice, after it was later revealed, according to an official veterinary examination, that the animal was unfit for human consumption due to its infection with jaundice.
According to data revealed by the regional coordination of the Moroccan Democratic Organization for Human Rights in Berrechid, on its "Facebook" page, the complainant, whose family resides in the city of Deroua in the Berrechid province, purchased two rams from a sheep seller in the Kisser area belonging to the Ibn Essaghir commune in Settat province, after contacting him through an advertisement posted on social media aimed at Moroccans worldwide. The agreement, according to the same data, was to sell the two rams for 4500 dirhams each, totaling 9000 dirhams. The complainant paid 1000 dirhams as a deposit through a money transfer agency, with the remainder to be paid upon delivery. The complainant stated that he received the rams and paid the remaining amount in full, but was surprised after the slaughter on Eid day by the appearance of unnatural indicators on the animal, including yellowing and changes in the internal organs, especially the liver, lungs, and spleen, which raised doubts about its suitability for consumption. He added that attempts to contact the seller failed, as he continued to delay responding before closing his phone on the evening of Eid, which prompted him to seek assistance from the organization. After registering a complaint on the matter, the file was presented to the public prosecutor at the Berrechid Court of First Instance, which gave instructions to subject the animal to veterinary examination by the regional veterinary service of the National Office of Food Safety. On May 29, 2026, the animal was transferred to the regional veterinary service in Berrechid, where it underwent examination and inspection by a specialized veterinary team under the supervision of Saida Sabri, the head of the service, with the participation of specialized veterinary staff. The results of the examination confirmed that the animal was unfit for human consumption, with a diagnosis of jaundice, and it was seized and destroyed in accordance with the applicable health and legal procedures, with the affected person being issued an official veterinary certificate documenting the examination results. According to circulating professional data, among the possible causes of this disease is the use of feed intended for poultry in feeding livestock, which are prohibited practices due to the risks they may pose to consumer health. For its part, the Moroccan Democratic Organization for Human Rights demanded the opening of a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances of the case and the arrangement of legal responsibilities, with a call to tighten control over livestock markets and feed sources, and to draw attention to the risks of using social media in marketing sacrifices without adequate guarantees of quality and health safety, especially with regard to members of the Moroccan community abroad. The organization also praised the intervention of various stakeholders in the file, including the public prosecutor, the Royal Gendarmerie, the local authorities, in addition to the regional veterinary service in Berrechid, considering that the coordination between them contributed to addressing the case in accordance with the applicable legal and health procedures.
