Mauritius: January Privy Council hearing the game changer for Jugnauth?
Secondly, the fact is it might even be the biggest event of 2019.
However, that is if the judgement goes against PM Pravind Jugnauth.
To recall, Jugnauth’s woes started with a guilty verdict in a major corruption scandal which shocked the nation.
His case hinges on conflict of interest for allowing the sale of MedPoint. His sister was a shareholder of the company. Diversion of government funds to acquire the company is the main issue.
The Intermediate Court sentenced Jugnauth to 12 months of imprisonment on June 30, 2015.
He was subsequently acquitted appeal at the Supreme Court where the conviction was quashed.
The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed to the judicial committee of the privy council to reverse the Supreme Court’s decision.
There were no other means to pursue the jailing of Jugnauth in Mauritius. At the time of the Supreme Court’s reversal, Pravind’s father was Prime Minister of Mauritius.
The Supreme Court judgment could not be reversed as it was the final process in the country.
Mauritius has an accord with the United Kingdom where the Supreme Court’s judgement could be reviewed by the Privy Council.
Nevertheless, the tension between Mauritius and the UK on the Diego Garcia nuclear base could have far-reaching consequences on the Island nation.
Is there a link between the Diego Garcia affair at the International Court of Justice and the case of Jugnauth?
The local opposition parties in Mauritius believe Jugnauth will lose his case in the UK. They are predicting his political downfall.
In the event he loses, there are talks he will not resign but will instead call for elections.
But, a source told WFTV the MSM believes Jugnauth will win his case.
Meanwhile, they say the UK might want to cut him loose to tone down Mauritius’ case on Diego Garcia.
“But if the UK were to be to let the PM go to kill the Diego Garcia case, would it not be a bribe?
“Then it would not be any different to the MSM-ML-OPR regime in Port Louis,” said an observer.