Second Suspect Arrested in Vacoas Machete Murder Case

Mauritius police have made a second arrest in the murder investigation of Selven Iyempermal, the man killed following a violent group attack in the La Caverne area of Vacoas in late October.

The Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT), the specialist unit within the Mauritius Police Force that handles serious and complex crimes, arrested Ridwaan Bauluck, a 34-year-old father, on Thursday 5 November. He joins Imtiyaz Chady, 35, a Rose-Hill resident, who was already in custody after being detained on Friday 30 October.

According to investigators, Iyempermal was attacked on the evening of Tuesday 27 October by a group of masked men armed with machetes and sticks in La Caverne, a residential locality in the Vacoas-Phoenix area of central Mauritius. He died from his injuries the following day.

Police are working on the theory that the attack was a targeted settling of scores. The victim was suspected of being involved in drug trafficking activity in the neighbourhood. As part of the broader investigation, officers conducted a search at a drug rehabilitation centre in Vacoas.

Following his arrest on Thursday, Bauluck was questioned at length by MCIT investigators in the presence of his lawyer. He denied any involvement in the attack, stating that he was at home at the time of the incident.

The MCIT investigation remains ongoing. It is not yet clear whether further arrests are expected.

What this means: The MCIT is a dedicated homicide and serious crime unit that typically handles cases involving organised violence or complex circumstances. The fact that two arrests have now been made within ten days of the attack suggests investigators are moving quickly. The drug-trafficking angle and the use of multiple masked attackers point to a premeditated assault rather than a random incident, raising broader concerns about gang-related violence in residential communities in central Mauritius.

Source: ION News