In a case where justice was long overdue, the Spanish Supreme Court has overturned a third conviction against Ahmed Tommouhi after confirming a case of mistaken identity with another Spanish citizen who was, in fact, responsible for the crimes. The decision marks a rectification of a grave injustice that persisted for years, as Al-Tamouhi had been falsely accused due to his strong resemblance to the actual perpetrator. In a long and complex case that has sparked widespread controversy, the Spanish Supreme Court on Monday, May 5, 2025, overturned a third conviction against Ahmed Tommouhi, a Moroccan citizen who spent 15 years in prison for rapes he did not commit. The ruling was based on biological evidence and the retraction of victim testimonies from earlier police line-ups, effectively nullifying a conviction that dated back to 1995. Case Details Ahmed Tommouhi arrived in Spain in 1988 and began working as a seasonal laborer in various sectors in the Girona region, in northeastern Spain. But his life took a tragic turn when he was wrongfully linked to a series of crimes. The Moroccan citizen—married and a father of three from Nador—was arrested in connection with a string of rapes and assaults that occurred during the night of November 9 to 10, 1991, in the city of Terrassa. The victims described their assailants as two men with Maghrebian features who spoke «a foreign language». Tommouhi was arrested and, in 1995, sentenced to 100 years in prison after being mistaken for another man who resembled him. His friend, Abdelrazak Mnib, who was living in Barcelona at the time, was also arrested. He later died in prison while trying to prove his innocence. Tommouhi was identified in a line-up by 4 out of 8 victims—evidence that formed the sole basis for his conviction, despite the absence of any physical or forensic proof linking him to the crimes. Initially charged with 11 rape cases, Tommouhi and Mnib were ultimately tried in just three, after investigations disproved their involvement in the remaining charges. Investigators subsequently reduced the charges, but both men continued to assert their innocence and demanded concrete proof of their guilt. In the end, they were sentenced to 18 years in prison—convictions widely described by human rights advocates as a grave miscarriage of justice. DNA Analysis Reveals the Real Perpetrator In 1995, a new wave of rapes and assaults once again shook the region, reinforcing doubts about Tommouhi's guilt. The perpetrators—again described as two foreign-speaking men—used the same methods as those from the 1991 attacks. This time, the police succeeded in arresting the real culprits. One of them was Garcia Carbonell, a Spanish citizen of Romani origin, who bore a strong resemblance to Tommouhi and communicated with his partner in Caló, a dialect used within the Romani community. Carbonell, previously known for his involvement in multiple sexual assault cases, confessed to all charges. Yet, authorities failed to question him about the 1991 assaults for which Tommouhi and Mnib had already been convicted. DNA analysis confirmed that Carbonell was the perpetrator in at least one of the rape cases attributed to Tommouhi. Still, the Moroccan man remained behind bars. After serving 15 years unjustly in Spanish prisons, Tommouhi was released in 2007 and has since fought tirelessly to clear his name. Following new investigations and DNA evidence, two of his convictions—issued in 1997 and 2023—were overturned. Last week, the Supreme Court annulled the third and final ruling against him. Despite having all three convictions vacated, the Spanish National Court rejected Tommouhi's request for €3.6 million in compensation. Political and Human Rights Support Tommouhi's case has drawn strong support from politicians and human rights organizations. Since 2008, Catalan parliamentarians from across the political spectrum have championed his case, seeking legal avenues to restore the rights and dignity he was denied. Numerous human rights groups also took up his cause, including the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (ASDHOM) in Paris, which brought his case to the attention of the European Parliament. In recognition of his perseverance and fight for justice, the Association of Legal Correspondents and Editors (ACIJUR) awarded Tommouhi the «Boniatas» prize in 2025, underscoring both the magnitude of his ordeal and the widespread support he has received from the legal and human rights communities.
