<B>Rape and sodomy suspect arrested </B>

After his arrest, Lallchand Boodhoo confessed that he had raped and sodomized a 69 year-old woman. He took part in the reconstruction of the crime after the woman identified him at Moka police station. The woman was standing at a bus stop when the suspect offered her a lift. However, he took her into a sugarcane field where he raped and sodomized her at knife-point. Then, he dropped her at another bus stop from which she caught the bus to her daughter’s where she related her horrible story.

<B>Indian milk to solve conflict</B>

The battle of wills between the ministry of Commerce and milk importers is going on. As the latter still refuse to reduce their profit margin – as requested by the ministry more than one week ago – the ministry is thinking of importing milk from India. A delegation from the State Trading Corporation (STC) went to India with that purpose and came back with positive results after meetings with exporters and colleagues from the Indian STC. Import of Indian milk should start within a few months. Contrarily to what some Mauritian importers have been saying, the Indian high commission maintains that Indian milk is competitive in terms of price and quality. This measure should end the threat of shortage consumers are confronted with since importers have reduced the distribution of milk to retail shops.

<B>Fire in brand new Brown Sequard</B>

The new wing of Brown Sequard hospital caught fire last Sunday. The building was damaged but no patients were injured. Fire officers arrived on the premises soon after being called. One nurse had to be taken to Jeetoo hospital to be treated for exposure to smoke but her condition is stable. The fire strated in one of the “isolation rooms” of the female ward, which is part of the high security ward. The police have opened an enquiry and are following up all leads. This wing was inaugurated last June.

<B>Violence and… indifference</B>

His prison sentence did not make him a better person. On the contrary. Hardly a few minutes after being freed from prison, Gino Flora stabbed Sukoor Cootigane to death in Rose-Hill town centre at 8 am last Saturday. The latter was walking to the bus station with his wife, Danavadee, when the man stabbed him without saying a word. Then, he just kept on walking and singing. The victim’s wife is desperate not only about losing her husband but also about the indifference of people around. No one came to their aid – when a helping hand might have saved her husband.

<B>CEO Jeetun finally… sacked</B>

After unsuccessful pressure on the Sugar Investment Trust (SIT) to dismiss its chief executive officer, Jyoti Jeetun, the government finally had its way. The SIT chairman, Ritesh Samputh, issued her letter of dismissal with three months’ salary in lieu of notice. She was requested to give back her sim card and all SIT documents in her possession. Until last Friday, employees’ and planters’ representatives had opposed her dismissal but they finally gave in, possibly to avoid opposing the government. Jyoti Jeetun reserves the right to sue the board members.

<B>Burns victim doesn’t survive</B>

Vijyotee Nackchejee died ten days after her husband Sudheer set fire to her. The latter had left the house three weeks before the tragedy, as his wife had made a statement to the police against him. She was a victim of domestic violence and had a protection order preventing him from approaching her. Yet, he came to their house on 9th August and threw petrol on her clothes and set fire to her. She was taken to hospital but did not survive. She leaves two sons. The suspected murderer is in police custody.

<B>More tales from prison</B>

Two out of the four prisoners who escaped from Petit-Verger prison have been re-captured. Mohammed Swadec Abdullah gave himself up at Petit-Verger prison last Wednesday. However, astonishing as it might appear, the officer there told him to report to the prison of Beau-Bassin after listening to his explanation. Even the prisoner and his family were shocked… Thierry Joseph was arrested by the police at Cité La Cure the day after. He is still being questioned by the police but has already started making revelations all pointing to internal complicity. But this theory has been denied by prison authorities. Stéphano Aza might have been with Thierry Joseph just before the police found them but the latter have still not caught him… Even though he called a private radio to relate his escape! We might have been in Hollywood!

<B>EU aid to fight poverty</B>

The European Union has granted Rs 460 million to Mauritius to help the country in the fight against poverty. The funds will be used for a cooperation programme by non-government stakeholders. The minister of Finance, Rama Sithanen, and Juan Carlos Rey, the chief of delegation of the European Commission in Mauritius, signed a financing convention to that purpose last Friday. This programme is aimed at social services: providing vulnerable groups with direct aid, promoting good governance principles, fighting unemployment and creating jobs as well as specific activities to help fight poverty in Rodrigues.