Latest news with #Padayachy
TimesLIVE
16-05-2025
- Health
- TimesLIVE
'Don't wait for warning signs – there may not be any': Get tested now for high blood pressure, says doctor
One in three South Africans over the age of 30 is living with high blood pressure — and many don't know it. Before World Hypertension Day on Saturday, a leading vascular surgeon at Lenmed eThekwini Hospital and Heart Centre Dr Vinesh Padayachy urged South Africans to get tested for high blood pressure. 'Don't wait for warning signs — there may not be any. A five-minute blood pressure test can save your life. Hypertension is manageable but only if you know you have it. Know your numbers. That's where prevention starts,' he said. 'Hypertension is the silent killer because it creeps in unnoticed. By the time many patients see me, they've already lost something — a limb, kidney function or even their independence.' Padayachy warned that ignoring the condition was costing South Africans dearly. 'You can't feel your blood pressure rising. Over time it attacks your heart, brain, kidneys and limbs. Stroke, aneurysms, amputations — these are often the end result of untreated high blood pressure.'
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Mauritius deep in corruption scandal as Macron visits
File Photo PORT LOUIS: With a former minister and central bank director embroiled in financial scandal, the island idyll of Mauritius is in political turmoil as French President Emmanuel Macron visits this week. At the centre of the mess is ex-finance minister Renganaden Padayachy, who was until recently seen as a key figure in making Mauritius one of Africa's few economic success stories. Right-hand man to the recently ousted ex-prime minister Pravind Jugnauth, Padayachy was arrested last week, accused of defrauding the Mauritius Investment Corporation (MIC), a firm set up to support businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic, of some $8 million. Harvesh Seegolam, former head of the central bank, which controlled the MIC, is also under investigation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Padayachy's party, the Militant Socialist Movement, has hit back, accusing the new government which took power in November of using the judiciary to "neutralise" the opposition. A close associate of Padayachy, who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity, claimed it was part of "a vendetta" against the former premier, Jugnauth. 'Mafiosi' Two dynasties have dominated Mauritian politics since its independence from Britain in 1968. Jugnauth, 63, succeeded his father after his death in 2017. He was heavily defeated in November by Navin Ramgoolam, 77, who had already served twice as prime minister, and whose father was the country's first post-independence leader. Ramgoolam has branded his rival's former government "mafiosi", alleging they "acted as if Mauritius belonged to them". He himself was prosecuted in 2015 for obstruction of justice and money laundering -- but says those charges were "political revenge". Mauritius is often seen as a model of stability and prosperity in Africa, but analysts have pointed to rising corruption and the political capture of institutions. A wire-tapping scandal last year in which the private conversations of senior politicians, police and business figures were released online, suggested wrongdoing at the highest levels. In February, Jugnauth was arrested as part of a money-laundering investigation, and is currently out on bail. Documents bearing his name were found at the homes of two suspects, along with luxury watches and suitcases of cash. "This isn't revenge, it's a clean-up. We need to clean up the republic," Ramgoolam told parliament. 'Melting like butter' The accusations could have an economic impact for Mauritius, where banking has been a major driver of its move into high-income status. The country has long been accused of facilitating tax evasion, but has made efforts to tackle money-laundering and terrorism-financing, earning its removal from the European Union's so-called "grey list" of high-risk countries in 2022. "What made us strong -- transparency, stability, and seriousness -- is melting like butter in the sun," said a foreign investor, who did not wish to give his name for fear of repercussions. Roshi Bhadain, a former minister of financial services and good governance in Jugnauth's government, who has now set up his own party, said the country could not simply rely on its exotic image and tourism industry. "We can no longer hide behind coconut trees," he told AFP. "Either we clean up, or we go under." Macron arrives in Mauritius on Thursday, where he will stay for 24 hours as part of a regional tour. Padayachy also holds French nationality so "France is closely monitoring compliance with procedural rights in this case," according to a French diplomat, also speaking on condition of anonymity. "But France will also be careful not to be perceived as interfering in the legal proceedings of a sovereign state."
IOL News
21-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Mauritius ex-finance minister charged over 2nd fraud case
Mauritius's former finance minister was arrested and charged on Wednesday with "conspiracy to commit fraud" before being released on bail, according to a prosecution source. The latest arrest of Renganaden Padayachy concerns alleged fraud against the Mauritius Investment Corporation (MIC), created in 2020 by the Bank of Mauritius to support businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic, said police. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ It was carried out at the request of the Financial Crimes Commission (FCC). In this case, police are investigating the MIC's payment of approximately $1 million to Menlo Parks Ltd/Pulse Analytics, a polling company known for its political analyses on social media, said police sources. Padayachy was released on bail, which was set at roughly $11,000, with the conditions specifying he was not permitted to have any contact with the other parties involved in the case. He will also have to report to a police station daily, the prosecution source said. Officers on Wednesday searched two properties belonging to the former minister, said a source close to the investigation. Padayachy had already been charged with fraud over a previous case linked to the MIC, but was released on bail on Monday after five days in detention. He and Harvesh Seegolam, the ex-Governor of the Central Bank of Mauritius, are accused of having artificially inflated the valuation of a company, EastCoast Hotel Investment, in which MIC had invested. That investment lost approximately $6.7 million for the MIC. Seegolam, also charged with fraud in the EastCoast Hotel Investment case, was arrested and then released on bail in January in the Menlo Parks Ltd/Pulse Analytics case, for which Padayachy was not initially charged. Last year, a coalition led by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam comfortably won parliamentary elections, regaining power in the Indian Ocean state after a decade in opposition.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Mauritius finance minister granted bail in fraud case
PORT LOUIS (Reuters) - A court in Mauritius has granted bail to a former finance minister charged with fraud over alleged embezzlement at a state-owned company, his lawyer and the financial crimes commission said on Monday. Renganaden Padayachy and former central bank governor Harvesh Seegolam were arrested and charged last week over the reported embezzlement of 300 million Mauritius rupees ($6.7 million) from the Mauritius Investment Corporation, set up to help companies deal with impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Padayachy and Seegolam have both denied wrongdoing. Seegolam was freed on bail last week. On Monday the court granted Padayachy bail after the financial crimes commission said it did not oppose his release, a commission spokesperson said. Raouf Gulbul, Padayachy's lawyer, welcomed the court's decision. "He (Padayachy) will be ... present for any further interrogation," he told reporters. The government of Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, who won power in a November election, has accused the previous administration under which the two former officials served of falsifying data on economic growth, the budget deficit and public debt for years.
Reuters
14-04-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Former Mauritius finance minister granted bail in fraud case
PORT LOUIS, April 14 (Reuters) - A court in Mauritius has granted bail to a former finance minister charged with fraud over alleged embezzlement at a state-owned company, his lawyer and the financial crimes commission said on Monday. Renganaden Padayachy and former central bank governor Harvesh Seegolam were arrested and charged last week over the reported embezzlement of 300 million Mauritius rupees ($6.7 million) from the Mauritius Investment Corporation, set up to help companies deal with impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Padayachy and Seegolam have both denied wrongdoing. Seegolam was freed on bail last week. On Monday the court granted Padayachy bail after the financial crimes commission said it did not oppose his release, a commission spokesperson said. Raouf Gulbul, Padayachy's lawyer, welcomed the court's decision. "He (Padayachy) will be ... present for any further interrogation," he told reporters. The government of Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, who won power in a November election, has accused the previous administration under which the two former officials served of falsifying data on economic growth, the budget deficit and public debt for years.
