Three Mauritius Police Officers Face DPP Over Shooting at Camp-Levieux

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is close to completing its investigation into three police officers suspected of failing to assist a person in danger, following a road-check incident on 9 October at Camp-Levieux, a locality in the east of Mauritius. The file will shortly be transmitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), the authority responsible for deciding whether criminal charges should be brought.

The case centres on Elodie Thomas, a woman who was shot and wounded during the road check on that date. The circumstances of the shooting and the conduct of the three officers present have been under scrutiny ever since.

As part of its investigation, the IPCC organised a reconstruction of events on 4 January, during which the sequence of actions taken by the officers was re-enacted at the scene. The findings from that reconstruction have been incorporated into the final dossier now being prepared for the DPP.

The IPCC is an independent civilian oversight body created to investigate complaints against members of the Mauritius Police Force. It has the power to conduct inquiries, gather evidence and refer cases to the DPP when it believes there are grounds for prosecution. The DPP then decides, independently of both the police and the IPCC, whether a criminal case should proceed.

The specific offence under consideration is non-assistance a personne en danger, which in Mauritian and French-based law refers to the failure of a person, including a public official, to assist someone whose life or safety is at risk when they are in a position to do so without endangering themselves. This is a criminal offence under Mauritian law.

What this means: If the DPP decides to prosecute, the three officers could face criminal proceedings before a court, separate from any internal disciplinary process within the police force. The case raises broader questions about police conduct during road checks and the duty of care officers owe to members of the public, including in situations where a firearm is discharged. The outcome of the DPP review will be a key moment in determining whether the officers face formal accountability.

The case has attracted significant public attention in Mauritius, where incidents involving police use of force and civilian oversight remain sensitive issues. The IPCC's referral to the DPP does not guarantee prosecution but signals that the independent body believes there is sufficient material to warrant a prosecutorial decision.

Source: Le Defi Media