The investigation into the death of Soopramanien Kistnen, a former orange agent, is still ongoing, according to Mauritius' Prime Minister, Navin Ramgoolam. Responding to a Private Notice Question (PNQ) from Chetan Baboolall, Ramgoolam stated that no arrests have been made and the probe is continuing. Kistnen died on October 18, 2020, and Ramgoolam's government had promised to take action against those responsible.
Ramgoolam's responses drew comparisons to those of his predecessor, Pravind Jugnauth, with Baboolall noting that they were similar. The PM stated that experts from the UK have concluded that Kistnen's death was a homicide, not a suicide. However, he did not provide further details on the investigation, citing that some evidence had disappeared and certain leads were not pursued at the time of Kistnen's death.
The investigation has seen some developments, including the interrogation of 17 individuals and the recovery of evidence from one of Kistnen's mobile phones. Ramgoolam revealed that the phone, found under Kistnen's body, had yielded some proof, but did not elaborate on the specifics. A second phone, previously missing, has been found and its contents are being analyzed.
Ramgoolam also addressed other cases investigated by British experts, including the death of Pravin Kanakiah, whose body was found at the Souillac cliff in December 2021. The PM mentioned the 2003 case of Nadine Dantier, although he mispronounced her name. The experts have worked on several "cold cases," according to Ramgoolam.
The PM discussed the issue of destroyed files related to COVID-19 purchases, stating that around 98% of files were deleted on November 10, 2024, at 3 am. Ramgoolam claimed that the Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) is investigating the matter. He assured that the experts from the UK are working to recover the deleted evidence.
Baboolall raised concerns about the security of Safe City camera recordings, which Pravind Jugnauth had previously assured were secure. Ramgoolam stated that his predecessor had been dishonest, as the recordings are no longer available. A request to Huawei for a copy of the recordings was unsuccessful, as they had been deleted.
The investigation's lack of progress and the deletion of evidence have raised concerns among opposition members. Ramgoolam revealed that the British experts, retired from Scotland Yard, are being paid Rs 5 million (around 78,000 pounds sterling) for their work. The PM could not provide a timeline for the completion of the investigation.
Key points
- The investigation into Soopramanien Kistnen's death is still ongoing.
- British experts have concluded that Kistnen's death was a homicide.
- The probe has seen some developments, including the recovery of evidence from Kistnen's mobile phone.
