Trilochun Blasts Ramgoolam Over NCA Bill: 'He Takes the People for Fools'

Political commentator and former public official Kailash Trilochun has launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam, accusing him of treating Mauritians with contempt over what he calls a glaring legal contradiction at the heart of the new National Commission for Audit (NCA) legislation. **The accusation: a contradiction in plain sight** At the centre of the controversy is the Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) Act — a law Ramgoolam has been challenging before the Supreme Court in what is known as the "safe deposit boxes" case (affaire des coffres-forts). In that case, Ramgoolam argues that certain provisions of the FCC Act are unconstitutional — specifically, the presumption of innocence standards and civil asset seizure powers. The problem, according to Trilochun, is that Ramgoolam's government is now introducing an NCA bill that reproduces those very same provisions he is contesting in court. "He is presenting a bill while simultaneously challenging several provisions in that same bill — for example, the presumption of innocence and civil seizure. How can a person contest provisions in court and at the same time present a bill that reproduces exactly what he is contesting?" Trilochun said. **A track record of criticism** Trilochun also pointed to a press conference held on 8 December 2023, where Ramgoolam — then in opposition — stood alongside political allies Paul Bérenger (leader of the Mouvement Militant Mauricien) and Xavier-Luc Duval (leader of the Parti Mauricien Social Démocrate) to declare that the FCC was "killing democracy." Now, as Prime Minister since the November 2024 general election, Ramgoolam finds himself in an opposing position — both defending a new bill and acting as a litigant in court against the FCC framework his own government appears to be mirroring. "He takes the people for fools," Trilochun said bluntly, adding that the NCA provisions being proposed are, in his view, even more severe than those in the FCC Act he is fighting in court. **What this means** The FCC (Financial Crimes Commission) is Mauritius's main anti-financial crime body, empowered to investigate money laundering, corruption, and asset seizures. The proposed NCA (National Commission for Audit) would be a new oversight body with its own investigative and enforcement powers. If the same legal provisions that Ramgoolam's legal team calls unconstitutional in the FCC context are now being inserted into the NCA bill, it raises a legitimate question: could the NCA itself be vulnerable to the same constitutional challenges before it even becomes operational? This is the inconsistency Trilochun is highlighting — and it is a question that legal observers and opposition figures are likely to press in parliament. For ordinary Mauritians, the stakes are significant. These provisions — particularly around civil asset seizure and the burden of proof — directly affect citizens' rights when investigated by state authorities. Source: ION News