Morocco has announced that it has filed a complaint against Italian MP Souad Sbai for accusing its embassy in Rome of assassinating Moroccan model Imane Fadil.

Sbai claimed that the Moroccan embassy in Rome might have been “behind Fadil’s alleged poisoning”. Fadil was a key witness in the case against former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, often known as the “bunga bunga” affair.

Speaking to Italian newspaper La Repubblica, Sbai said that the Moroccan embassy in Italy might have been behind her death.

“For the death of Imane Fadil, consider the Moroccan track, they know how to use poison,” Sbai told the newspaper. She added: “Fadil knew too much. She decided to step back and they killed her.”

The Moroccan embassy rejected Sbai’s “accusations,” stressing they are “defamatory and false statements”.

The embassy has now said it is suing Sbai, who is of Moroccan origin.