Mauritius Roundup: Murder in prison, food hikes, arrests, drugs

Cyclone expected

Satellite images indicate an emerging tropical disturbance in St Brandon, the Indian Ocean archipelago of sandbanks. According to local media Le Mauricien, the Vacoas meteorological station has warned of a Class I cyclone expected to happen on January 13. The event will likely cause unstable atmospheric conditions in the vicinity. A moderate tropical storm Belal is expected to first move towards the southwest, through the southeast, and then Mauritius by Monday.

Patient caught with hard drugs

A patient admitted to Victoria Hospital in Candos was caught trying to inject drugs into her system while on admission. The patient, 34 years old, who was admitted for a fractured femur was discovered with a syringe with content suspected to be heroin when a nurse at the hospital went to give him a blood transfusion. According to Lexpress.mu, the nurse found that a central line from the previous transfusion was broken and that there was a disposable insulin syringe. It is suspected that the patient tried using the transfusion line to inject the drugs. Police will interrogate the patient after the doctor’s authorisation.

 Arrests for money laundering

Money laundering suspect, Jean Hubert Celèrine popularly referred to as Franklin will be extradited to Reunion Island, Le Mauricien reports. Franklin was arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) in February 2023 for engaging in money laundering and drug trafficking. He was sentenced by Reunion authorities to seven years in prison. Magistrate Shavina Jugnauth’s judgment in Port-Louis authorised Franklin’s extradition.

Murder in prison

Local news outlet Sunday Times reported that an inmate at the Vallée-Pitot police station in the Port-Louis District died on January 10, 2024, while in police custody. The deceased is said to have been attacked by another inmate before a police officer could intervene. He was rushed to the Jeetoo Hospital where he was given medication after undergoing an X-ray scan. The suspect was however found unconscious that evening in his cell and was pronounced dead upon his arrival at the hospital.

Price hikes

There are price hikes on the sale of vegetables at the Port-Louis market. The majority of vegetables including candy apples have exceeded the 40 Rupee mark. According to local news outlet defimedia.info, the prices are the consequences of recent torrential rains in the area.