A female teacher and her boyfriend have been sentenced to imprisonment for engaging in sexual activities within a government-provided residence in Ijoukak, a rural commune in the Al Haouz Province of Morocco.
Ijoukak, which lies close to Talat N’yaqoub, the epicenter of the devastating 2023 Marrakesh-Safi earthquake, was significantly impacted by the disaster with around 200 buildings destroyed. Amidst the rebuilding efforts, this case has came to light.
The residence involved in the incident is owned by Morocco’s Ministry of National Education and is typically allocated to teachers deployed in remote locations where finding appropriate housing can be difficult. The legal action ensued after local inhabitants reported the couple to the authorities, leading to their arrest by the Royal Gendarmerie last April.
The locals perceived the teacher’s actions as both bold and disrespectful, particularly because she was entrusted with educating their children. There was a prevailing fear among the community that she might influence their children and be seen by their daughters as a role model, which starkly contrasts with the conservative and traditional values upheld in the region. This concern heightened the sensitivity of the situation, intensifying the community’s response to her behavior.
The Court of First Instance in Marrakech handed down the sentences, with the teacher receiving three months of immediate imprisonment and her boyfriend six months. Additionally, the court imposed fines and ordered the couple to pay compensation totaling twenty thousand dirhams to the civil party.
