Lalit's Register of deaths in detention from 1979 to February 2004

14.02.2004

(* = referred to in publicly released Matadeen Report)
MOOKEN, Richard
Mr. Richard Mooken, 29 years old, died in Rodrigues when he was in detention on the 29th of January, 2004. According to press reports, he was taken to hospital after he had complained of acute pain. He died before he could be examined by a doctor.

DAVID, Jean Clifford
Mr. Jean Clifford David was found dead on the 6th of April, 2002 at Pope Hennessy Police Station. Official cause of death: hanging. There has been a judicial enquiry in his case.

BAYARAM, Josian Kirsley
Mr. Josian Kirsley Bayaram, 28 years old, was found dead on the 21st of July, 2001 at Pointe aux Cannoniers Police Station. There were bruises on his back, a wound on his forearm, abrasions on his face. He was arrested when he was on his way to work. Police claim to have arrested him as he was drunk. Police claim that he had hung himself in his cell. His family found no marks of strangulation on his neck.

NANCY, Vijay
Mr. Vijay Nancy, 30 years old, died when he was in police custody at Casernes Central on the 21st of June, 2001. He had been taken there by force for interrogation by CID officers. Members of his family who had also been taken to Casernes Central for interrogation said that he was in a pitiful state: his face was all swollen up, he had bruises on his face, and he seemed to have been punched the face.

MUTHY, Yousouf Mohamad Nadim,
Mr. Yousouf Mohamad Nadim Muthy, 22 years old Port Louis man, working as a salesman, was found dead in his cell on 3rd May, 2001, found hanged at Alcatraz. He had been arrested a few hours earlier by the ADSU in possession of one pouliah of gandia.

DUMAZEL, Lorlene
Mr. Lorlene Dumazel, 35 years old, died at Trou aux Biches Police Station on the 21st February, 2001. He had bruises on his face and arms. He had told his wife that he was in pain while he was detained. Police claimed he had hung himself.

7. ARMAND, Louis Rosario died on 19th of February, 2001 at Pope Hennessy Police Station. Official cause of death: hanging

8. JUGGERNATH, Ganeshlall Horil, detainee of Souillac Police Station died on 22nd March, 2000. Official cause of death: Burn injuries.

9. *KAYA, Reginald Topize
Mr. Reginals Topize, 38 years old, whose profession was composer, musician, singer, musical group leader, found dead in his cell at Alcatraz, February, 1999, after having been locked up in Alcatraz for saying that a few days before he had smoked a cigarette in which he believed there was marihuana. Although he had no injuries or illness on arrest, he was found with over 30 injuries on his body, and photographs show a clear mark of the prison door having been closed crushing his feet under it. Cause of death was brain injury.
Judicial Enquiry

10. *JACQUOTTE, Clency (1999)
Mr. Clency Jacquotte, a 43 year old man, was found dead on 19th February, 1999. He was found hanged. Use had been made of a bit of sheet attached to the bars on the fan-light. The man was from Curepipe.
Week-End 15th August, 1999

11. *BOZELLE, Marc Clifford (1999)
Mr. Marc Clifford Bozelle, a 22 year old man from Plaisance, Rose-Hill, whose profession was painter, was found dead in police cells at Black River police station at 3.40 pm on 1st January, 1999. He had been arrested on 30th December on the Black River (or Tamarin) public beach in the possession of 9 pairs of shorts. He had been unable to explain satisfactorily to the Central CID during an interrogation where he got these 9 pairs of shorts from. He was found hanging. Use had been made of a bit of rope tied to "the roof of the air-vent" of the cell.
Sources: L'Express 7 January, 1999
Week-End 15 August, 1999
Le Mauricien , 6 January, 1999

12. *SEEKUNDAR, Afzal (1998)
Mr. Afzal Seekundar, a 27-year-old man, tree-feller by profession, living in Rivère Sèche, was found dead in the police cells at Rivère Sèche, on 31st December, 1998. He had been arrested the previous day on a charge concerning possession of gandia.
He was found hanging. Use had been made of a bit of cloth covering his matress tied to iron bars on the fan-light.
Sources: L'Express 7 January, 1999
Week-End 15 August, 1999

13. *GAUD, Philippe Hervé (1998)
Mr. Philippe Hervé Goud, a 39 year old man living at Chemin Grenier and who worked as lorry helper, was found dead in police cells at Souillac on 6th October, 1998. He was found to have bruises on his face and injuries around his knees.
He had been arrested for drunkenness the previous day.
Source: L'Express, 12th October, 1998

14. * RAMLOLL, Jay Kissoon (1998)
Mr. Jay Kissoon Ramloll, found dead 3rd October, 1998 at Brisée Verdiere Police Station. Official cause of death: Congestive cardiac failure with alcohol intoxication.

15. * RAGHOONUNDUN, Premlall (1998)
Mr. Premlall Raghoonundun found dead on 14th June, 1998 at Piton Police Station. Official cause of death: Asphyxia due to hanging.

16. * ARMOOGUM, Cyril (1998)
Mr. Cyril Armoogum found dead on 7th of May, 1998 at Riviere Seche Police Station. Official cause of death: Rheumatic heart disease.

17. REHAUT, Yvon Regis (1996)
Mr. Yvon Regis Rehaut, a 42 year old man, working as a solderer, living at Curepipe Road, was found dead in police cells at Vacoas on 9th December, 1996. He had been arrested on 6th December arrested for bearing an offensive weapon after drinking at the funeral of an acquaintance of his near the Hugh Otter Barry school in Curepipe Road.
At the Judicial Enquiry held in August, 1998, Dr. Boolell was an expert witness and he said he believed there had been foul play, the man had been kicked in the back, had suffered brain injuries, had been in a coma and had died. The matter has been submitted to the DPP.
Le Mauricien, 12th August, 1998
Le Marricien, 10 December, 1996
Week-End 14th March, 1999

18. *RAMDEWAR, Angoo (1996)
Mr. Angoo Ramdewar, a 48 year-old labourer from the Caroline area, was found dead in police cells at Bel-Air in August, 1996. He had been found drunk on the public beach. Sources: Le Mauricien, 6 August, 1996

19. * ROODAYE, Abdool Rohmun (1995)
Mr. Abdool Rohmun Roodaye was found dead 31st December, 1995. Official cause of death: Hanging.

20. SHAM, Laval (1995)
Mr. Laval Philippe Sham, cabinet maker/builder of 32 years old, living at Cité La Cure, died in Jeetoo Hospital 54 days after having been injured while in police custody, ie. On 22nd December, 1995. . The police said he had fallen out of the police jeep.
Sources: Week-End 24th December, 1995
Le Mauricien 16th March 1996
L'Express 15th February 1996

21. * TORUL, Mahendranath (1995)
Mr. Mahendranath Torul was found dead 3rd January, 1995. Official cause of death: Hanging.

22. NANACK, Saoud (1994)
Mr. Saoud Nanack, a 33 year old man from Vallee Pitot was arrested on Friday at Albion and then found dead on 25th August, 1994 in police cells at the Bambous Police Station. His family publicly rejected the thesis of natural death put out by the police.
Source: Le Mauricien, 16th August, 1994

23. *TRAVAILLEUR, Steve Desire (1994)
Mr. Steve Désiré Travailleur, a 23 year old man from Cité La Cure was arrested on 24th July, 1994 kept in the Abercrombie Police Cells, and then he was admitted to hospital on 30th July with burns from which he died on 7th August. There were reports of his having been calling out to go to the toilet and being sworn at by the police.
Sources: Le Mauricien, 3 August, 1994
L'Express, 8 August, 1994

24. FIDELE, Laval (1994)
Mr. Laval Fidèle, a 44 year old man from St. Paul died in L'Hopital du Nord in mid-March, 1994. He made a dying statement to the effect that he had been beaten up by the police.
L'Express, 22nd March, 1994
L"Express, 25 March, 1994

25. UKHOY, Pardooman (1994)
On Tuesday,11th January, 1994, Mr. Pardooman Ukhoy, a 38-year-old man was found dead after being imprisoned for non-payment of a 500 rupee fine for theft of vegetables. He had wound on his body, and there were formal reports of beating by guards. His death was apparently disguised as a suicide.
L'Express, 12th January, 1994
WeekEnd, 16 January, 1994
5-Plus, 14th January, 1994

26. CYPRIEN, Laval (1994)
Mr. Laval Cyprien, 30 years old, died while he was detained at Pope Hennessy Police Station. The police claimed that he had hung himself. His family says that he died some five years before Kaya died.

27.* LALLOUETTE, Lindsay (1993)
Mr. Lindsay Lallouette was found dead 6th October, 1993. Cause of death: Fatal burns.

28. LABROSSE, Eddie (1993)
Mr. Eddy Labrosse, a 31 year old man, whose work was mason and who lived in Beau Plan, Pamplemousses, died while in police custody after a skull fracture, at first attributed to a fall from a motorbike. His friend who had been with him, Mr. Edmund Drioux, alleged that the police had beaten up Mr. Eddie Labrosse and a counter-autopsy showed up similar findings.
The DPP charged two police officers with "coups and blessures".
L'Express, 17th April, 1993
L'Express, 15th April, 1993
L'Express, 17th March, 1993
L'Express, 23th February, 1993

29.* BHOYROO, Dahianand (1993)
Mr. Dahianand Bhoyroo was found dead 11th January, 1993. Official cause of death:Asphyxia due to postural neck compression.

30.* MUNGUR, Anath (1992)
Mr. Anath Mungur was found dead 12th February, 1992. Official cause of death: Asphyxia due to hanging.

31.* CODABUX Ahmad Nooranee (1991)
Mr. Ahmad Nooranee Codabux found dead 5th December, 1991. Official cause of death: Hanging.

32. *DAMREE, Naushad Ally (1991)
On 28th September, 1991 a young man from Plaine des Roches, Mr. Naushad Ally Damree was found dead in police cells in Rose Hill. He had been arrested on 10th August, 1991 on murder charges.

33. *GANGIAH, Serge Eddy (1991)
Mr. Serge Eddy Gangiah was found dead 26th January, 1991. Official cause of death: Hanging.

34.* EMAMBOCUS, Anwar Mohammad
Mr. Anwar Mohammad Emambocus was found dead 27th January, 1990. Official cause of death: Hanging.

35. XAVIER, Elville (1991)
On 5th December, 1991 at 8.30 pm a 30-year old man, Mr. Elville Xavier, who lived in Port Louis, a man was found hanged in police cells at Terre Rouge. He had been arrested 4 days earlier on minor charges relative to theft in Plaine Verte. He had been in the Plaine Verte police station before being tranferred to Terre Rouge the day he died.
Le Maruicien, 6 December, 1991

36. Unnamed man died in police cells at Souillac (1990)
On 4th October, 1990 a 50 year old man from Surinam was found hanged in the police cells at Souillac. He had been arrested for burglary. He was found hanged three hours after his arrest.
Le Mauricien, 6th December, 1991

37. DAWAKING, Kishna (1990)
On Sunday afternoon, 2nd December, 1990, the police arrested Mr. Kishna Dawaking a young man of 27 years of age from Flamboyant Ave, Cite Vallijee on not reporting to police while he was on probation on a minor charges. He was found dead in his police cell at Line Barracks on the next day, 3rd December at 5 in the morning. The police claimed he hanged himself. His family found his body showed wounds that would have made hanging himself impossible.

38. Un-named man dies in police cells at Plaine Verte (1990)
On 27th November, 1990 a man of about 30 years of age living in Camp Yoloff, was found hanged in the Plaine Verte police cells. He was arrested for possession of drugs.
Le Mauricien, 6 December, 1991

39. Unnamed man found dead in police cells in Quatre Bornes.
A man arrested for stealing in the bazaar was being held in police cells in Quatre Bornes. He was found dead in his cell. (1991 or 1990)
LE Mauricien, 19th December, 1991

40. RENEL, Joseph (1990)
Mr. Joseph Renel was found dead 4th October, 1990. Official cause of death: Hanging associated with coronary thrombosis.

Other Cases before the cut-off date
NOYAU, Denis (1989)
On Monday 24th April, 1989, a young man, resident at Rose-Belle was found dead in his police cells at Nouvelle France two days after the police arrested him. He had supposedly hanged himself. His cellmate said he had been beaten up. His Family said his clothes were blood-stained.
He was arrested on 22nd April after having returned to its owner a watch he had stolen. The police arrested him for a "ti lanket".
CDD document published in Le Socialiste, 11 July, 1989

MOORGHEN, Siven (1987)
A 37 year old man, Kistnasamy Siven Moorghen of Route Nicolay, Port Louis was found hanging in a police post at Abercrombie on Thursday, 14th May, 1987. The police arrested him on an allegation of sodomy by his mistress.
Le Mauricien, 16th May, 1987

Un-named man found dead in Line Barracks (1984)
In 1984, an unamed man was found dead in police cells at Line Barracks.

VICTORINE, Serge Louis (1979)
A 27 year old man from Roches Brunes who had escaped from the prison along with all the other prisoners held in Beau Bassin during the mutinyat the end of August, 1979, was re-captured in the Piton area and brought to the Prison on 5th September, where he was found dead in his cell later. His body was covered in grave wounds, including injuries to his genitals, head, bone fractures and his ear cartilege split in two. The police doctor said he had died of an overdose or reaction to medicine. Generally believed he was beaten up in police cells.
An exhumation order was given for 25th September or 19 days after the demand. A second autopsy was practiced.
A hearing was conducted in the Rose Hill Court.
No conclusion has ever been made public.
Weekend 9th September, 1979 and 16th September, 1979.
Le Cerneen, 13th September, 1979 and 15th September, 1979.
L'Express 18th September, 1979.
Lalit de Klas, 13th November, 1981.