A total of 11 people appeared before court and eight were remanded in custody by the investigating magistrate in the Moroccan city of Al Hoceima;s appeal court in connection with the death of a fish seller on Friday that sparked unprecedented protests by tens of thousands across the country on the weekend.
Morocco World News reported that the 11 people who appeared in court today had been identified after 20 interrogations were conducted over 72 hours as part of the investigation into the death of fish seller Mohcine Fikri this past Friday. Fikri was crushed by a garbage compactor after he tried to retrieve fish that had been confiscated and thrown away by police.
Those kept in police custody are two policemen, a delegate for fisheries, the head of the fisheries delegation department, the chief of staff of the veterinary department and three employees from the cleaning company, according to a statement from the prosecutor. Charges those in custody face include possible involuntary homicide, fraud and complicity.
The results of the investigation into Fikri’s death found that he had bought about 500 kilograms of swordfish, which is illegal to fish between October 1 and November 30 as it is a protected species. His vehicle was stopped after it left the port and an inspection found the illegal haul of fish. A veterinarian ruled that the fish was not safe for consumption and should be thrown away.
Fikri and three others climbed into the garbage truck to retrieve the fish when the grinding machinery suddenly started up and caught him while his companions were able to get away. The investigation noted that for the machine to operate, a button must be pressed in the front and also a lever pulled at the back, but it did not say who had pulled the lever.
It also noted that no evidence was found that anyone had called for the machine to be turned on, contradicting many reports on social media accusing police of having deliberately called for the machine to be turned on.