Two Escapees Recaptured Within 24 Hours in Rivière-des-Anguilles

A brief escape from a police station in southern Mauritius ended almost as quickly as it began, with both fugitives recaptured less than 24 hours after breaking free.

Stéphane Perrine, 29, and Jeff Wendy Leonel Domingue, 35, escaped from the Rivière-des-Anguilles police station on the evening of Saturday 31 October. They were found and returned to custody on Sunday 1 November.

Rivière-des-Anguilles is a town in the Savanne district in the south of Mauritius, roughly 40 kilometres from Port Louis.

According to police, the two men seized an opportunity when an officer on duty was urgently called away to assist another detainee who required medical attention. With the officer distracted, Perrine and Domingue slipped out of their cell and fled the station.

The escape triggered an immediate search operation. Officers located both men the following day, and they were returned to police custody. As of the time of reporting, they remain held at a police detention facility.

No further details have been released about the original offences for which the two men were being held, the circumstances of their recapture, or whether any additional charges related to the escape are expected.

The incident raises questions about detention procedures at smaller police posts, particularly around staffing levels and what safeguards are in place when officers must respond to emergencies inside a facility. Police stations in rural areas of Mauritius often operate with limited personnel, which can create vulnerabilities when multiple situations arise at once.

What this means: for members of the public, this case is a reminder that escapes from police custody in Mauritius, while rare, do occur. Mauritius Police Force protocol requires that detained individuals be secured at all times, and incidents like this are typically subject to an internal review to determine whether procedures were followed and whether disciplinary action is warranted.

Source: ION News