Jugnauth Threatens Legal Action Over Listening Devices Statement

Former Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has publicly challenged the Mauritius Police Force over a communiqué it issued regarding listening devices, describing the statement as containing what he calls falsehoods. He has announced that he intends to respond through legal channels.

Jugnauth, who led Mauritius as Prime Minister from 2017 until his party's defeat in the November 2024 general election, did not specify in detail which parts of the police statement he disputes. However, his use of the word falsehoods signals a direct and serious challenge to the credibility of an official police communication.

The controversy centres on listening equipment, a deeply sensitive subject in Mauritius. In recent months, allegations of illegal surveillance have been at the heart of major political and judicial debates in the country, touching on how and whether state institutions were used to monitor politicians, journalists and private citizens during the previous administration.

The Mauritius Police Force is the national law enforcement body under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs. When the force issues a communiqué, it carries official weight, which makes any public accusation that such a document contains falsehoods an unusually sharp confrontation between a former head of government and the police.

By announcing a legal response, Jugnauth appears to be considering action such as a defamation complaint or another form of legal challenge. No specific court filing had been confirmed at the time of publication.

This development adds a new layer to an already complex political climate in Mauritius. Since the new government led by Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam took office after the November 2024 election, a number of investigations and disclosures have emerged relating to alleged surveillance activities under the previous administration. Jugnauth and his party, the Militant Socialist Movement, known by its French initials MSM, have found themselves at the centre of several of these controversies.

The question of listening devices and wiretapping has particular resonance in Mauritius because past revelations about recorded conversations have had serious political consequences. Any official statement by police on the subject is therefore closely scrutinised by all sides.

What this means: If Jugnauth follows through with legal action against the police or any individual responsible for the communiqué, it would mark a rare instance of a former prime minister taking the state security apparatus to court over a public statement. It could also prolong and intensify the political and legal battle over the surveillance question, keeping the issue at the top of the national agenda for weeks or months to come.

Source: Le Defi Media