Jugnauth Calls Police Statement on Listening Devices 'Full of Lies'

Former Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has publicly rejected a police communiqué related to listening and surveillance equipment, describing it as containing what he calls "falsehoods." He has announced that he intends to respond through legal proceedings.

The statement marks a sharp escalation in a dispute that has been building over recent weeks around the acquisition and use of phone-tapping and electronic surveillance equipment during the previous government's time in office. Jugnauth, who led Mauritius as Prime Minister until the November 2024 general election, has consistently denied wrongdoing in connection with the affair.

The Mauritius Police Force had issued a communiqué presenting its version of events, which reportedly included references to documents signed by Jugnauth. The former prime minister now says those claims are inaccurate and that the police statement misrepresents the facts. By announcing legal action, Jugnauth is signalling that he intends to challenge the narrative being put forward by the authorities formally, rather than through political statements alone.

The surveillance equipment controversy has become one of the most politically charged issues in Mauritius since the change of government. Critics of the previous administration have called for full accountability over how and why the equipment was procured and whether it was used to monitor political opponents, journalists or civil society figures. Jugnauth and his allies have framed the inquiry as a politically motivated exercise designed to damage the opposition Militant Socialist Movement, known by its French acronym MSM.

The current government, led by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam of the Labour Party, came to power following a decisive election result in November 2024. Since then, several investigations touching on the conduct of the previous administration have been launched or accelerated, of which the surveillance equipment inquiry is among the most prominent.

Legal action of the kind Jugnauth is threatening could take several forms under Mauritian law, including defamation proceedings or an application to a court challenging the accuracy or legality of what was published. No specific charges or court filings had been confirmed at the time of publication.

What this means: This dispute goes beyond a disagreement between a former prime minister and the police. It reflects a broader post-election reckoning in Mauritius over the use of state surveillance powers. How the courts and investigative authorities handle the competing claims will be closely watched, both as a test of institutional independence and as a signal of how far accountability for past government conduct will reach.

Source: Le Defi Media