The former governor of the Bank of Mauritius was arrested on Friday January 3 as part of an investigation into alleged embezzlement of public funds. Harvesh Seegolam had been the subject of an arrest warrant since mid-December. He resigned from office shortly after the legislative elections in November 2024, following the coming to power of a new government. The new authorities suspect him of having illegally transferred a sum of one million dollars to a bank account abroad.
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With our correspondent in Port-Louis, Abdoollah Earally
The former governor of the Bank of Mauritiuswas arrested on Friday January 3, 2025, at the island’s airport by the financial brigade. Harvesh Seegolam is suspected of orchestrating the illegal transfer of a million dollars to a company with questionable political ties. The affair broke out in November 2024, after his resignation the day after the legislative elections of November 10, 2024. The central bank then filed a complaint for fraud, citing the existence of a suspicious transfer which took place in the middle of the electoral campaign.
“ Embezzlement »
There new management of the Bank of Mauritius is categorical: “ There was clearly wrongdoing » with this transfer. However, the ex-governor had already left the country when the complaint was filed. This prompted the police to issue an arrest warrant on December 16. Back on Friday morning, he was arrested when he got off the plane.
Complicities?
After a night in police custody and a long interrogation, Harvesh Seegolam was released on Saturday January 4, 2025, on a provisional charge of “conspiracy to defraud”. Investigators are now closely interested in possible internal complicity at the Bank of Mauritius and are exploring the links that could exist with certain political circles.
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