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Sidi Ifni- Abdeladim El Guerrouj, Moroccan Minister of Vocational Training, has been accused of using state funds to make a purchase of chocolate on the occasion of his first child’s baptism.
The scandal, which has stirred controversy in Morocco, puts the Islamist-led government in an embarrassing situation, particularly because the latter has repeatedly promised to fight corruption.
In response, the Minister decided to file a complaint against the media for publishing information about him without checking its veracity.
During an interview with Moroccan news portal Informediaire, El Guerrouj denied the allegations leveled against him and went on to underscore that a smear campaign had been launched in order to tarnish his reputation.
Commenting on the motives behind the campaign, the Minister complained, “I am the aim of a fierce campaign launched to attack my integrity and damage my reputation.”
“The accusations are false; they have nothing to do with me whatsoever,” he added.
With respect to the purchase and related transactions, the Minister denied anything of the sort.
“I have not bought any chocolate on this occasion. We must not forget that any transaction at public administration goes through number of procedures,” he explained.
“The Ministry of Public Service has confirmed the absence of this purchase,” he noted.
The Minister added that he had resorted to court, especially given that the accusations against him are likely to undermine his credibility as a politician.
“A lawsuit, for me, is the solution,” he stressed.
Edited by Elisabeth Myers
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