Weeks of investigation have turned testimonies shared on social media into a major criminal case now before the Criminal Court of First Instance at the Fez Court of Appeal. The case centers on the charity home known as “Complexe El Wafaa.” Eighteen people have been charged, including 12 held in pretrial detention at Bourkaiz Prison.
The allegations concern the facility’s management and the alleged exploitation of abandoned minors who were reportedly recruited under threat to engage in prostitution and theft inside the home.
The “Dar Al Atfal Al Wafae” association, commonly known as “Al Wafae,” is located in Fez’s Narjis district. Founded on January 19, 2007, it provides accommodation, schooling and healthcare to children without family support. After years of operating as a social welfare organization, the association is now at the center of a criminal investigation triggered by testimonies about conditions inside the facility.
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The first details of the case emerged about six months ago, when a video by Nawfal Moussa was posted on social media. In the video, she discussed what she said was happening inside “Dar Al Atfal Al Wafae,” explaining that she had been in contact with several current and former residents. According to her account, they had told her about their living conditions and their experiences at the facility.
Testimonies that triggered the investigation
The testimonies shared in the video concern the facility’s former director, not its current director. Some residents alleged that he asked them to have sexual relations with him and that those who refused were expelled from the facility. They also described poor living conditions inside the institution. These claims remain allegations at this stage.
Following the video’s publication, the King’s Prosecutor at the Fez Court of Appeal ordered a judicial investigation and assigned the case to the regional judicial police brigade. Investigators questioned several people connected to the facility to verify the information circulating online, determine the nature of the alleged offenses and establish the potential responsibility of those involved.
During this phase, investigators questioned several officials and staff members, including the current director of the “Al Wafae” social complex. She provided information about the facility’s management in recent years and described a series of administrative and financial problems, including delayed salary payments, interruptions in social security declarations and mounting unpaid water and electricity bills.
According to the information available, her testimony also addressed the management of food and in-kind donations intended for the facility. She described practices that she said had affected how the donations were distributed. She also handed investigators documents and other materials, which were added to the case file pending further legal action concerning the various allegations and statements.
The investigation took a new turn in mid-September, when 12 people were placed in police custody. They included an educator currently serving as general supervisor, two former directors, a former store manager, three activity coordinators, two educators, two private security guards and the association’s current president.
Six other people were questioned but remained at liberty, pending a legal decision based on the investigation’s findings.
12 People Placed in Pretrial Detention
The suspects were brought before the King’s Prosecutor at the Fez Court of Appeal on September 17. The prosecution extended their police custody by 24 hours to complete the investigation.
At the end of the process, 12 people were charged and placed in pretrial detention, and the case was referred directly to the Criminal Court of First Instance. Six others remained free. The total number of people facing charges therefore stands at 18.
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The Criminal Court of First Instance held its first hearing on Monday, September 28. It postponed the case until October 26 to summon witnesses and give the defendants time to appoint lawyers.
The defendants in detention requested provisional release. Their lawyers were unable to attend because of a lawyers’ strike. Their professional bodies are expected to resume activities on October 7.
The next hearings are expected to shed more light on the allegations underlying the charges. The court will ultimately determine responsibility for the alleged offenses through the judicial proceedings.
