In a recent ruling, former Moroccan kickboxer Zakaria Moumni has been ordered by the Canadian Superior Court in Montreal to pay CAD 30,000 dollars ($22,300) in damages for defamatory statements he made against Rachid Najahi, the CEO of the Atlas Media Group.
According to reports, in July 2022, Zakaria Moumni disrupted the Moroccan Festival in Montreal, an event to celebrate Morocco’s Throne Day, organized by the plaintiff, Najahi.
Moumni made derogatory remarks about the participants, whom he accused of being “servants of the Moroccan government” among other insults.
He went further, claiming that Rachid Najahi was a government “agent” and that the Moroccan Festival in Montreal was nothing more than a “propaganda activity of Morocco,” allegedly funded by the Moroccan government. The accusations were met with swift legal action.
The Canadian court, after a thorough examination of the case, concluded that the Moroccan Festival had been financially independent throughout its history and had never received any form of institutional grants or government support. The findings directly contradicted Moumni’s allegations.
In light of the evidence, the court ruled in favor of Rachid Najahi, ordering Zakaria Moumni to pay CAD 30,000 in damages for the defamatory statements made during the festival.
The Atlas Media Group, for whom Najahi serves as the CEO, issued a statement expressing satisfaction with the court’s decision. They emphasized that the Moroccan Festival in Montreal is a cultural celebration aimed at fostering unity and understanding, and that it has always been funded independently through sponsorships and donations from the Moroccan-Canadian community. Zakaria Moumni is yet to publicly comment on the court’s ruling.
