A Tangier court sentenced, Thursday, a Spanish man to eight years in prison for sexually assaulting a Moroccan minor. A Moroccan NGO promised to appeal against the decision that it deems insufficient, citing new evidence. Five months after his arrest, a Spanish national was sentenced by a Tangier court to eight years in prison for child abuse. Felix Ramos was found guilty of sexually assaulting a Moroccan minor six years ago. The victim M. B., who is currently 20 years old, has filed a complaint against the Spanish man, accusing him earlier this year of «promising him to go to Spain in exchange for sex». According to Spanish newspaper El Espanol, the plaintiff's lawyer has requested a MAD 500,000 compensation, after the judge ruled that the victim has to undergo medical treatment to overcome the consequences of what happened when he was a minor. Speaking to the same newspaper M. B. said that he felt «happy after leaving court because it is confirmed now that [he is] not lying». «The most important thing is that the abuses are not going to be repeated either with me or with other people», he said. Appealing against the decisions However, Moroccan association Touche pas à mon enfant (Don't touch my child), which has been a civil party in the trial, is not happy about the ruling delivered Thursday. «We are appealing against the initial ruling because it is not enough», the NGO's local representative Mohamed Taib Bouchiba told Yabiladi on Friday. «We believe that it is not just a case of child abuse but it also includes human trafficking (…) we have other elements to bring when appealing, namely photos, audios and phone calls», Bouchiba argued. Touche pas à mon enfant accompanied M. B. during the trial and knows the details of the case, which involves other names. Accoridng to the NGO, the victim met his molester in 2014, when he was still a minor. He then introduced himself as the «owner of a TV channel in Marbella» and proposed to the victim to work with him. He also promised him a job. A year later, Felix Ramos invited M. B. to his hotel room, where he «raped him». The complaint filed by the 20-year-old Moroccan includes other Spanish names. The victim told judges that a woman called Manuela Vilches, a gallerist who owns many properties in Tangier received him and Ramos in her house. Another woman who owns a children NGO in Tangier is also involved in the case. She had her association closed, earlier this year, by the authorities. A Spanish celebrity is also involved in this case, namely Rafael Ojeda, known under his stage name of Falete and who is a transvestite singer of flamenco and copla. It is in 2016 that the Spanish artist accompanied Félix Ramos to Tangier. «He (Ramos, ed) asked me to behave well with him (Rafael Ojeda, Ed) [because] he was a singer and was going to help me and give me money», M. B. told judges. «He also raped me. And he gave me 2,000 dirhams (185 euros) after abusing me for several days», he said. To the association, more victims must have the courage to denounce child abuse. «Those he would have abused must file complaints against this 'network', because for us this is just the tip of the iceberg», Bouchiba concluded.
