The main suspect in the high-profile rape case involving three men from well-off families in Casablanca and a French woman was heard on Tuesday, December 24, by an investigating judge at the Casablanca Appeal Court. Kamil Bennis was heard on the same day alongside M'hammed Alj, another suspect, reports Le360. The two other defendants, Saad Slaoui and Mohamed Amine Naguib, the fiancé of the alleged victim, were heard today, December 25. The three suspects, Bennis, Alj, and Slaoui, have all refuted the rape allegations. The investigating judge has also questioned 12 witnesses so far, who all confirmed that there «was no rape, confinement, or assault», reports the same source. During the same hearing, the defense presented an audio recording to the judge, asserting that it demonstrated the two defendants' presence was solely to dissuade her companion, Mohamed Amine Naguib, from approaching the plaintiff. They claimed this was out of concern that she might face violence, as she had begun displaying a «very provocative attitude toward certain young men» while under the influence of alcohol. Before the examining magistrate, the defense lawyers also sought to refute the claim that the alleged victim had been given a hard drug. Earlier in December, the complainant was also heard at the Casablanca Appeal Court. During the hearing, the 27-year-old victim, who had filed rape complaints in both Paris and Casablanca, maintained her position before the court, reaffirming her earlier statements about being drugged with the rape pill GHB during a party at the villa of the main suspect. She also strongly denied allegations of a consensual relationship with the defendants. The incident dates back to a party hosted on November 2 by Kamil Bennis, a member of a wealthy family in the pharmaceutical sector. Three others are implicated: Alj, the son of the president of CGEM; Slaoui, a London-based entrepreneur; and Daghbour, a security guard and local councillor. The complainant alleges that Kamil Bennis raped her after she unknowingly consumed GHB, commonly referred to as the «date rape drug». It is worth noting that the accused have been held in local detention in Ain Sebaa since November 23, awaiting the completion of the investigations to uncover the circumstances of the case, which has garnered wide attention due to the involvement of figures from influential families.
