Monjib is professor of political history and African studies at the University of Rabat
Morocco’s Monjib remanded in custody
Court decides to prosecute university professor under arrest on charges of embezzlement and money laundering.
Tuesday 29/12/2020
Monjib is professor of political history and African studies at the University of Rabat
RABAT – Morocco’s university professor Maati Monjib was on Tuesday remanded in custody pending prosecution for embezzlement and money laundering.
The court decided to prosecute Monjib under arrest a five-year investigation to unravel the embezzlement and illicit enrichment, allegations he strongly denies.
In October 2015, Monjib was banned from leaving Morocco because he was under investigation for "financial irregularities" linked to his management of the Ibn Rochd Centre for studies and communication which he founded in December 1999 as a public limited company rather than a non-governmental organisation in a bid to avoid being held into account for foreign money receipts.
Monjib’s centre received foreign funds, mainly from the Dutch NGO Free Press Unlimited and America’s "National Endowment".
Between 2009 and 2019, Monjib received Dh7.91 million ($864,000) from the funds destined to the Ibn Rochd Centre and the Moroccan Association of Investigative Journalism, reported Chouf TV last October.
Within five years, much of the foreign funds were transferred in two accounts opened in Monjib's name at a bank branch in Rabat, which he withdrew in cash, according to local media.
“These withdrawals reached 3.1 million dirhams ($347200), of which 2.45 million ($274,000) were deposited in a third blocked account, which obviously generated interest,” wrote le360.
“On this same third account, Monjib withdrew, on November 1, 2014, more than 2 million dirhams ($224,000) which he gave to his sister and his wife. This operation was carried out on the eve of the dissolution of the Ibn Rochd Center,” it added.
On November 14, 2014, Monjib transferred one million dirhams ($110,000) to his sister's account. He then transferred Dh400,000 ($44,800) to his own account, said Chouf TV.
The judicial investigations unveiled Monjib’s financial assets, which the defendant cannot acquire with a gross monthly salary that does not officially exceed Dh11,800 ($1300).
He had acquired and registered in his name some 34,840 square metres of bare land acquired over the last six years besides three apartments located in Harhoura, Rabat and Benslimane.