A 31-year-old Moroccan-Dutch man who fatally stabbed his cousin in July 2023 on Sfiha Beach near Al Hoceima was sentenced on Wednesday to five years in prison. Convicted of assault resulting in death rather than manslaughter, the defendant received a lighter sentence than the 14 years initially requested by the prosecutor. The case stemmed from a long-running conflict between two cousins that escalated into a fatal confrontation while both were vacationing in Morocco. CCTV footage showed the suspect approaching the victim aggressively before a fight broke out. The victim was stabbed in the chest and died shortly afterward. The fatal incident unfolded during celebrations for the victim's sister's wedding. The court rejected the defense's request to exclude the Moroccan investigative findings but relied mainly on Dutch witness statements and camera footage. A knife bearing the victim's blood was also found. The court noted that the suspect evaded Moroccan authorities and only came forward once the case gained attention on social media and Dutch prosecutors took over. Although the crime occurred in Morocco, the Netherlands assumed jurisdiction at the request of Moroccan authorities, following concerns raised by the suspect's lawyer about prison conditions in Morocco.
