HIBAPRESS – Fikri Ouldali
Judicial police elements in Al Hoceima arrested an individual with a criminal record on suspicion of involvement in luring and sexually exploiting several minors, following a complaint filed by the family of a 14-year-old child who had disappeared from his home for two days.
According to available information, the child stated, after his return and being questioned in the presence of his guardian, that he had been sexually assaulted. This prompted the security services to open an investigation under the supervision of the Public Prosecution, which led to the arrest of the suspect in the Tizi Ousli area in the province of Taza.
During the search operation, a mobile phone and several items were seized. A preliminary examination of the phone revealed pictures of minors, which led investigators to expand the scope of the research to verify the circumstances of their capture and determine the extent of their owners' connection to the facts under investigation.
The investigations also focus on suspicions of luring minors in Al Hoceima last summer with promises of employment or obtaining sums of money and electric bicycles, before transporting some of them to the suspect's residence.
Under instructions from the Public Prosecution, the individual concerned was presented before the Attorney General at the Al Hoceima Court of Appeal, where it was decided to commit him to the local prison and prosecute him on a set of charges, according to available data.
Investigations are still ongoing to examine the digital content and identify other minors potentially connected to the case, pending the outcome of the judicial investigations.
