Jacques Bouthier Case: Morocco Will Send Rogatory Commission in France

A Moroccan rogatory commission will be established to aid in the investigation of the sexual scandal involving the former French executive and several of his collaborators in Morocco, according to a statement from Aicha Guellaa, the lawyer representing the victims and President of the Moroccan Association for the Rights of Victims .

The commission’s primary objective is to conduct an interview with Jacques Bouthier, who currently faces multiple charges in France, including “human trafficking” and “rape of a minor.”

Guellaa confirmed that the Court of Tangier has approved their request for a rogatory commission in France, marking an important step in the pursuit of truth and justice.

Jacques Bouthier, the former CEO of Assu 2000, a prominent insurance brokerage group, was released on bail for medical reasons in March 2023 after spending ten months in detention.

“It’s shocking for the victims, who are supposed to be the first to be protected by justice”, said Guellaa, stressing that this case is a “serious test” for the French justice system.

“It’s unacceptable that the French justice system should have granted Bouthier provisional freedom, on the grounds of his mental illness, despite all the horrors he has perpetrated (…). “Is it normal that a CEO who, until his arrest, brilliantly ensured the complex and strategic management of a large insurance company, is suddenly taken by dementia? “she wondered.

Guellaa hoped that the French justice system will show the same boldness as its Moroccan counterpart and draw inspiration from the latter’s farsightedness in handling this case.

Jacques Bouthier, convicted of rape of minors and human trafficking in Paris, is accused of sexual harassment by six young women in Tangiers.

Although Jacques Bouthier is not currently facing charges in Morocco, eight of his collaborators, including six Moroccans (two of whom are women) and two French nationals, are being prosecuted for offenses such as “human trafficking,” “sexual harassment,” “incitement to debauchery,” and “failure to report attempted or consummated crimes.”

Four of the defendants remain in custody, while the others have been released on provisional liberty. The trial was scheduled to resume on July 25th at the criminal chamber of the Court of Appeal in Tangier.

In addition to seeking Jacques Bouthier’s interview, the Moroccan authorities have also issued an arrest warrant through the Prosecutor General of the Court of Appeal in Tangier for another suspect who fled to France. The individual is the former general manager of Assu 2000’s Tangier subsidiary, identified as a French-Tunisian national, according to AMDV.

The scandal emerged following complaints filed by former employees in Tangier in June 2022. The alleged incidents took place between 2018 and April 2022 within various branches of Assu 2000 while Bouthier held a leadership position.