The Berrechid Court of First Instance has postponed the trial of the individual involved in the Sidi Rahal beach accident to June 30. The victim was Ghita who was seriously injured by a speeding off-road vehicle towing a jet ski. The tragedy underscores clear violations of legal regulations, beginning with Law 81.12 on coastal protection. The Berrechid Court of First Instance has postponed the trial of the defendant involved in the Sidi Rahal beach accident to June 30. The incident left four-year-old Ghita in critical condition. The postponement was granted to allow the defense lawyers more time to prepare, while a request for provisional release was denied. On June 15, Ghita was severely injured when she was struck in the head by an off-road vehicle towing a jet ski, requiring urgent and delicate surgery. Still shaken by the tragedy, her parents were absent from this brief hearing. The little girl was discharged from the hospital on June 22. During the session, the defense lawyer denied allegations that the defendant was a «spoiled child» or that he had been evading justice. Meanwhile, the civil party's lawyers accused the driver of «recklessness» and questioned his legal responsibility. The family also accused him of attempting to conceal the crime scene, among other serious claims. Driving and parking on beaches is prohibited by law In response to the incident, the association Touche pas à mon enfant condemned what it called «an unacceptable tragedy on a public beach». NGO president Najat Anwar criticized the security lapses in these areas, where vehicle access is strictly regulated. «Where are the surveillance systems meant to protect children and vacationers?» she questioned, referring to Law 81.12 on coastal protection, which she said «is not rigorously enforced». According to this law, driving motor vehicles in coastal zones and parking outside designated areas is prohibited, except for authorized public service vehicles. Article 50 of the same law punishes damage to the natural state of the seashore with «imprisonment from two months to two years and a fine ranging from 20,000 to 500,000 dirhams, or one of these penalties». Article 52 imposes fines of 1,200 to 10,000 dirhams for offenses including obstructing «public access to the seashore», driving or parking «vehicles on dunes, beaches, and along the seashore» against regulations, or using «nautical vehicles or recreational watercraft outside designated areas». The enforcement of Law 81.12 The association Touche pas à mon enfant called on authorities to take «firm and immediate measures», demanding an exemplary trial and the publication of a joint circular from the Ministries of Interior and Equipment to officially ban motor vehicle access on beaches, except for supervised interventions. The call also resonated in Parliament. During an oral question to the Ministry of the Interior, opposition MP Latifa Chérif said the tragedy highlighted «the threat to children's safety in places meant for recreation and leisure». The Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) member questioned the ministry on what measures were in place before the incident to monitor and prevent such safety violations along coastlines, and what actions are planned to improve protection on beaches and parks to prevent similar crimes. In this context, Touche pas à mon enfant recommended «developing specific water sports areas separated from family recreational spaces», while emphasizing that the judicial case should result in «full compensation for the moral and material damages suffered by the victim's family».
