At the Rabat Court of Appeal, the 18 Senegalese fans detained in Morocco since the Africa Cup of Nations final are awaiting their fate. The court has withdrawn to deliberate. Me Patrick Kabou, the lawyer representing our compatriots, explained the proceedings of the hearing, which began around midday.
"We are awaiting the verdict. The hearing started at 12 p.m. We raised issues of nullity, both procedural and substantive, by placing on the court's record a transcript of part of Mr. Motsepe's press conference, where he stated that CAF is responsible, given that it is a CAF competition," he explained on the airwaves of RFM.
Why did they introduce this element into the debate? "Because Article 308, paragraph 8 of the Moroccan Penal Code states that in such circumstances, the main responsible party is the organizer," explains the defense counsel. The lawyer added that arguments over the nullity issues took nearly six hours. They also insisted on pointing out a fact that surprised them.
"It turns out that our compatriots are in prison, but they themselves had filed complaints against stadium stewards and gatekeepers. And it appears that at no point in the proceedings are our compatriots' complaints to be found," Me Kabou emphasized.
During the pleadings, he said he primarily highlighted that in criminal matters, coming to the court of appeal and "saying you still don't have the evidence" is simply inadmissible. In his view, this shows a lack of respect for all legal professionals and procedural experts worldwide. Remarks that did not sit well with the Court.
"The court asked me to retract those statements. I said I would not retract any statement because I have 18 compatriots who have been imprisoned here for months. And at no point have we been presented with videos or photos stating that it is such and such a person or that this certifies that," stated the defense lawyer.
This was followed by heated verbal exchanges and incidents, the lawyer indicated. For context, the prosecution has requested that the sentences of the 18 Senegalese fans be increased.
Youssouf SANE
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