Madagascar: Seven held after double murder of French nationals

Seven suspects have been arrested in relation to Sunday’s murder of two French volunteers in Madagascar. Four of them are said to have been in the same nightclub with the victims, although investigators have not yet established firm links with the murders.

A French citizen living on the resort island of Sainte Marie is among the three other suspects arrested on Tuesday.

Investigating authorities have also said that it is now certain that the volunteers were murdered.

“Clues were found, but for now, we can not say we have found the perpetrators of this crime. There are some situations that are beyond the reach of the Malagasy authorities and we may have to request the help of our colleagues in France and the Reunion,” said French Honorary Consul to Sainte Marie, Jean-Jacques Ravello.

The bodies of the two French citizens, a man and a woman aged in their 20s, were found on Sunday on a beach of Sainte-Marie with head injuries.

They had been volunteering at Cetamada, a local environmental non-profit organisation working to protect ocean mammals.