Noureddine Bensouda (Arabic: نور الدين بنسودة; born 1963–Rabat, Morocco) is a senior Moroccan civil servant who was the Director of the Direction Générale des Impôts between 1999 and 2010 (Direction Générale des Impôts).[1] He since became Director of the Trésorerie Générale du Royaume.[1][2][3] Like other influential figures in the Moroccan state, Bensouda was a classmate of Mohammed VI at the Collège Royal in Rabat.

Noureddine Bensouda
Director of the Trésorerie Générale du Royaume
Assumed office
26 April 2010
Preceded bySaid Ibrahimi
Director of the Direction Générale des Impôts
In office
February 1999 – 26 April 2010
Preceded byAbdelali Benbrik
Succeeded byAbdellatif Zaghnoun
Chief of the Cabinet of the Minister of Finance
In office
1991–1993
Personal details
Born1963 (age 60–61)
Rabat, Morocco
Alma materCollège Royal de Rabat
Bachelor in Law (Mohammed V University)

Controversy

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In July 2012 Bensouda was involved in a scandal related to wage bonuses along with Salaheddine Mezouar, then minister of Finance.[4] Leaked documents, revealed that Bensouda and Mezouar issued orders to reward themselves with substantial monthly and quarterly bonuses.[4] The bonuses totaled roughly MAD97,772/month (US$12,000).[5] Mezouar declared that the bonuses were legal basing the decision on a 1941 decree by the French colonial-head which is still enforced. The French decree allowed such bonuses to be issued for high-ranking employees of the colonial administration.

The two employees who revealed this information, Abdelmajid Louiz and Mohammed Reda, were prosecuted and tried for leaking confidential documents.[4] On 21 March 2013, Alouiz was sentenced to two-months suspended prison and a MAD2,000 fine, while Reda was acquitted.[6] However both employees were excluded from their jobs.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Bensouda, nouveau Trésorier du Royaume". L'Economiste. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  2. ^ Khalid Trikki (25 March 1999). "Noureddine Bensouda: "L'Administration fiscale est un médiateur"". L'Economiste. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  3. ^ Kamal Benbrahim (13 February 1999). "Noureddine Bensouda, nouveau directeur des impôts L'Autorite Sereine". Marochebdo. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  4. ^ a b c Smail Bellaoualli (21 March 2014). "Case against Morocco whistleblowers highlights difficulty in the battle against corruption". AP - USNews. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  5. ^ Badr Soundouss (14 June 2012). "Salaheddine Mezouar reconnait la réalité des primes". Demain online. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Suspended sentence for Morocco civil servant who flagged 'graft'". AFP. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.