Latest news with #PravindJugnauth
Russia Today
17-02-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Former Mauritius Prime Minister arrested
Former Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has been arrested on charges of money laundering, the East African island country's Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) announced on Sunday. The detention came a day after the FCC said its officers were conducting searches at Jugnauth's home and several other locations. Investigators discovered and seized 114 million Mauritius rupees ($2.4 million) after inspecting various locations, including the former official's residence, Reuters reported, citing the FCC. 'Mr. Pravind Jugnauth, former Prime Minister, has been arrested under a charge of money laundering. He will be detained at Moka Detention Centre,' the state-owned agency said in a statement on Sunday. Jugnauth denies the charges, his lawyer, Raouf Gulbul, told reporters early Sunday. In an interview with Bloomberg on Monday, Gulbul said the ex-prime minister was released Sunday night after hours of detention. 'Today he will furnish the bonds set by the court,' the attorney stated. READ MORE: Ruling party suffers 'huge' defeat in East African state Jugnauth had been the premier of the Indian Ocean archipelago from 2017 until losing a reelection bid for a second five-year term to the opposition in November. His administration was widely accused of corruption after recordings of politicians and business owners were leaked online days before the election. Since taking office, the African nation's new prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, has been critical of the previous government's handling of the economy. In November, Ramgoolam ordered an audit of the finance ministry, accusing it of providing 'wrong' data to 'convey a false sense of economic progress.' READ MORE: The real Lion King: Who was the founder of the richest African empire? Last month, the former governor of the Bank of Mauritius, Harvesh Seegolam, was detained and charged with conspiracy to defraud. He was eventually released on bail after the case was filed in court. In December, Ramgoolam criticized the central bank for printing money to fund the Mauritius Investment Corporation (MIC), which the previous administration established in 2020 to support businesses dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a report to parliament, the prime minister described the move as 'an irresponsible act,' claiming that it had 'deleterious effects on the monetary system, more so that the banking system was already flush with excess liquidity.'
Express Tribune
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Mauritius ex-PM freed on bail in money-laundering probe
PORT LOUIS: A court in Mauritius released on bail the island's former prime minister Pravind Jugnauth in a money-laundering probe after seizing suitcases of cash in raids on his alleged accomplices' homes. Police detained the 63-year-old along with his wife Kobita Jugnauth on Saturday and questioned them for several hours, police sources told AFP. Kobita Jugnauth was later released and Pravind Jugnauth was placed under formal arrest in the early hours of Sunday. In court in the capital Port Louis, the ex-premier denied the accusations. The judge released him pending a bail payment of 150,000 rupees ($16,000), in a written ruling seen by AFP. Police and court documents detailed searches at the homes of two other suspects who run a local leisure company. They said officers seized documents bearing the names of the Jugnauths, as well as luxury watches and suitcases of cash. Prime minister from 2017 to 2024, Pravind Jugnauth is a member of one of the dynasties that have dominated the leadership of Mauritius, a stable and relatively prosperous Indian Ocean island nation, since it became independent from Britain in 1968. He oversaw a historic deal with Britain for Mauritius to regain sovereignty over the Chagos Islands following a long-running dispute. He and his Militant Socialist Movement suffered a crushing defeat in tense elections in November. He ceded office to centre-left rival Navin Ramgoolam, who became prime minister for the third time. Ramgoolam's government reopened the Chagos negotiations, reportedly seeking greater financial compensation and to renegotiate the length of the proposed lease for a joint UK-US military base. Under the Chagos deal, Britain will retain a lease for the base on the island of Diego Garcia. Both Mauritius and Britain have said US President Donald Trump's administration will have a say on the final terms of the agreement. The base is currently leased by Britain to the United States and has become one of its key military facilities in the Asia-Pacific
Arab News
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Mauritius ex-PM freed on bail in money-laundering probe
PORT LOUIS, Mauritius: A court in Mauritius on Monday released on bail the island's former prime minister Pravind Jugnauth in a money-laundering probe after seizing suitcases of cash in raids on his alleged accomplices' homes. Police detained the 63-year-old along with his wife Kobita Jugnauth on Saturday and questioned them for several hours, police sources told AFP. Kobita Jugnauth was later released and Pravind Jugnauth was placed under formal arrest in the early hours of Sunday. In court in the capital Port Louis, the ex-premier denied the accusations. The judge released him pending a bail payment of 150,000 rupees ($16,000), in a written ruling seen by AFP. Police and court documents detailed searches at the homes of two other suspects who run a local leisure company. They said officers seized documents bearing the names of the Jugnauths, as well as luxury watches and suitcases of cash. Prime minister from 2017 to 2024, Pravind Jugnauth is a member of one of the dynasties that have dominated the leadership of Mauritius, a stable and relatively prosperous Indian Ocean island nation, since it became independent from Britain in 1968. He oversaw a historic deal with Britain for Mauritius to regain sovereignty over the Chagos Islands following a long-running dispute. He and his Militant Socialist Movement suffered a crushing defeat in tense elections in November. He ceded office to center-left rival Navin Ramgoolam, who became prime minister for the third time. Ramgoolam's government reopened the Chagos negotiations, reportedly seeking greater financial compensation and to renegotiate the length of the proposed lease for a joint UK-US military base. Under the Chagos deal, Britain will retain a lease for the base on the island of Diego Garcia. Both Mauritius and Britain have said US President Donald Trump's administration will have a say on the final terms of the agreement. The base is currently leased by Britain to the United States and has become one of its key military facilities in the Asia-Pacific. During the election campaign, both camps promised to improve the lives of ordinary Mauritians who face cost-of-living difficulties despite strong economic growth.
Voice of America
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Voice of America
Mauritius ex-PM freed on bail in money-laundering probe
A court in Mauritius on Monday released on bail the island's former Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth in a money-laundering probe after seizing suitcases of cash in raids on his alleged accomplices' homes. Police detained the 63-year-old along with his wife Kobita Jugnauth on Saturday and questioned them for several hours, police sources told AFP. Kobita Jugnauth was later released and Pravind Jugnauth was placed under formal arrest in the early hours of Sunday. In court in the capital Port Louis, the ex-premier denied the accusations. The judge released him pending a bail payment of 150,000 rupees ($16,000), in a written ruling seen by AFP. Police and court documents detailed searches at the homes of two other suspects who run a local leisure company. They said officers seized documents bearing the names of the Jugnauths, as well as luxury watches and suitcases of cash. Chagos Islands talks Prime minister from 2017 to 2024, Pravind Jugnauth is a member of one of the dynasties that have dominated the leadership of Mauritius, a stable and relatively prosperous Indian Ocean island nation, since it became independent from Britain in 1968. He oversaw a historic deal with Britain for Mauritius to regain sovereignty over the Chagos Islands following a long-running dispute. He and his Militant Socialist Movement suffered a crushing defeat in tense elections in November. He ceded office to center-left rival Navin Ramgoolam, who became prime minister for the third time. Ramgoolam's government reopened the Chagos negotiations, reportedly seeking greater financial compensation and to renegotiate the length of the proposed lease for a joint U.K.-U.S. military base. Under the Chagos deal, Britain will retain a lease for the base on the island of Diego Garcia. Both Mauritius and Britain have said that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration will have a say on the final terms of the agreement. The base is currently leased by Britain to the United States and has become one of its key military facilities in the Asia-Pacific. During the election campaign, both camps promised to improve the lives of ordinary Mauritians who face cost-of-living difficulties despite strong economic growth.
The Independent
16-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Minister defends controversial Chagos plan after key architect of the deal is arrested
A cabinet minister had defended the government's controversial Chagos island deal after it emerged that one of its architects has been arrested and is facing money laundering charges. Former Mauritius prime minister Pravind Jugnauth"is under arrest", the state-run Financial Crimes Commission said on Sunday. In response, the business secretary Jonathan Reynolds told GB news: 'Let's not lose sight of what we are trying to do here... it is about securing the long-term future of an important facility.' He added that it would be 'irresponsible' to not engage 'with this issue and put a UK-US base's future in question." The arrest of Mr Jugnauth follows searches by FCC detectives of locations including his home, where an amount worth $2.4 million was seized, Reuters reported the FCC said. His lawyer, Raouf Gulbul, also told reporters his client has been provisionally charged in an alleged money laundering case and denied the charges. The deal to hand over the islands was reached with the former Mauritian leader, but his successor Navin Ramgoolam and US president Donald Trump have been critical. Meanwhile, Tony Abbott, former prime minister of Australia, called the deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius an 'absurd situation'. And shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: 'We're being asked to spend billions to lease back a military base that we own freehold. 'Our view in the Conservative Party as the opposition is, forget the deal and spend every penny of that on our armed forces.' The government insists the deal is crucial to the national security of the UK and the US. Last week ministers claimed the UK had no option but to give up sovereignty on the islands, which house the crucial Diego Garcia UK/US airbase, because they were in danger of losing control of the satellite communications system. But a written response to Tory shadow armed forces minister Mark Francois from communications minister Sir Christopher Bryant appeared to dismiss that concern this week. Sir Christopher said: 'Individual countries have the sovereign right to manage and use the radio spectrum, within their borders, the way they wish, subject to not causing interference with other countries.' Sir Keir has told MPs that the need to secure the legal status of the base is a matter of national security and the deal would guarantee a lease on the base for 99 years at a reported cost of up to £18 billion to the taxpayer. It is understood that the deal is opposed by Donald Trump's new US administration although it had received support from Joe Biden. Concerns over potential interference from China as well as limitations on taking nuclear weapons to the secretive base, which is crucial for defence in the Indian Ocean, mean that Trump is understood to want to veto the deal.
