While he never explicitly named Fouad Ali El Himma, the description was clear enough to ignite a political firestorm. What happened next divided Morocco. Within weeks of Belguel’s confession, the case was abruptly transferred from the Agadir court to the Court of Appeal in Rabat —a move critics said was designed to remove the case from local judges who might rule independently. Then, on June 15, 2008, the prosecutor announced that Belguel had "retracted his confession," claiming it was made under duress.
In July 2008, Belguel was sentenced to five years in prison for forgery and use of forgery. He served only 18 months before being released on "health grounds" and reportedly fled to Spain. The perceived impunity sparked rare public protests. In Agadir, civil society groups organized marches in front of the Wilaya (regional government headquarters). Slogans included: "The land belongs to the people, not to the pals of the palace" and "Agadir is not for sale." belguel moroccan scandal from agadir full
The land title for Al Mansouriya was "suspended," not annulled. SODIDEC was never prosecuted. And most controversially, the official investigation was limited to Belguel and two low-level clerks from the Agadir land registry. No political figure was ever summoned. While he never explicitly named Fouad Ali El