Mauritius minister resigns after commission of inquiry on drugs

The prime minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth announced on Friday that his minister for gender equality resigned following a commission of inquiry which linked linked politicians, police and lawyers to drug traffickers.

The findings of the commission of inquiry released Friday accused the minister, Roubina Jadoo-Jaunbocus, a lawyer, of meeting jailed drug traffickers who were not her clients.

She was also alleged to have been complicit in money laundering and arranging a money transfer to a drug trafficker.

For me personally it is a hard blow that my two friends have to resign until they contest the report in court.

The deputy speaker in the national assembly Sanjeev Teeluckdharry also resigned after being implicated in the scandal.

Both Jadoo-Jaunbocus and Teeluckdharry are members of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), the main ruling party.

“For me personally it is a hard blow that my two friends have to resign until they contest the report in court”, Jugnauth told a press conference on Friday.

He added that the minister and the deputy speaker both disputed the findings and would take legal action over the allegations.

“Roubina Jadoo-Jaunbocus will have the chance to return to her ministerial position if she can clear her name in court,” the prime minister said.

In the meantime her portfolio has been handed to deputy prime minister Fazila Jeewa-Daureeawoo.

Chaired by former judge Paul Lam Shang Leen, the commission into drug trafficking opened inquiries on November 15, 2015, and questioned more than 300 people.

The commission called for further in-depth investigations to take place.

Yasine Mohabuth, Africanews correspondent