Elegbede Abiodun
Moroccan court has declared prison terms of up to a year to 19 football fans, following charges of hooliganism after a chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal. Their supporters were reported to have attempted to storm the pitch during the match.
After a five-hour hearing on Thursday, the presiding judge found the 18 Senegalese nationals and one French national guilty of multiple charges, including damaging sports facilities and committing violence at a sporting event, ESPN reports.
The match itself was marred by Senegalese players walking off the pitch in protest of a stoppage-time penalty awarded to Morocco.
Of them all, eleven individuals received one-year prison sentences and a £430 fine, four were sentenced to six months with a £170 fine, while the remaining four were given three-month sentences and a £100 fine, according to lawyer Naima El Guellaf, who spoke to The Associated Press.
One defendant reportedly fainted upon hearing their sentence, and others refused to move to the holding cells. Family members present expressed their distress, insisting on their relatives’ innocence.
Legal teams have indicated their intention to appeal the decision, which they consider unduly harsh.
The defendants were apprehended last month after enraged fans tried to invade the pitch in protest of a late penalty awarded to host nation Morocco during the final, which Senegal ultimately won 1-0. They had been held in custody for over a month awaiting the verdict.
During Thursday’s proceedings, attended by Senegalese and French diplomats, as well as relatives, defence lawyers argued that there was insufficient evidence for a conviction.
The public prosecutor sought maximum penalties, citing the disruption to the match and an estimated £373,000 in damages.
Morocco frequently deals with football-related hooliganism, and such cases are routinely heard in the country’s courts. However, this particular case was unusual due to the involvement of only foreign nationals.
These sentences are the latest development stemming from a final that prompted senior officials in both countries to call for peace and unity amidst social media tensions and a rise in what Moroccan rights groups termed “hate speech.”
Last month, CAF, the African football governing body, imposed £780,000 in fines and bans on both Senegal and Morocco following the tumultuous game. Morocco has announced plans to appeal, deeming the sanctions disproportionate.
Incensed Senegalese supporters threw chairs onto the field and clashed with stewards before police intervened.
The game and its aftermath prompted senior officials from both nations to reaffirm their “strong and historic” diplomatic and economic ties, aiming to prevent the incident from straining bilateral relations.
