Said Naciri, the former chairman of Morocco’s most successful football club, Wydad Casablanca, denied any involvement in a major drug trafficking case linked to a jailed kingpin, insisting on his innocence in a trial that began Friday.
In his first appearance in court as one of the two main defendants, Naciri vehemently rejected all charges and pledged to present evidence to prove his innocence.
“I have the evidence to refute all the accusations. I deny them completely,” said Naciri, who is also a former leader of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), a political group within the ruling coalition.
“I am going to help the court establish the truth. I have crucial information that will be essential in resolving this case,” he added, before the trial was adjourned until April 18.
Naciri is facing charges alongside another former PAM official, Abdennabi Bioui, for “possession, marketing and export of drugs” as well as related “corruption” offences. Both have been held in custody since late 2023.
The charges stem from accusations made by jailed Malian drug kingpin Ahmed Ben Brahim, known as the “Pablo Escobar of the Sahara”, who is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence.
The trial, which began in May 2024, includes a total of 25 defendants.
