Mauritius police have issued an arrest warrant for Harvesh Kumar Seegolam, the island nation’s former central bank governor, as part of an ongoing investigation into a conspiracy to defraud. The arrest order, announced by the police’s anti-money-laundering unit, is the first major action taken under the leadership of Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam.
Seegolam, who is currently out of the country, is expected to be arrested upon his return to Mauritius. The police have not provided further details regarding the specifics of the case, and Seegolam has yet to make a public statement.
The case comes at a time of heightened political tension in Mauritius, following accusations by Prime Minister Ramgoolam that the previous government manipulated key financial data. In a report presented to parliament, Ramgoolam claimed the outgoing administration had falsified the country’s GDP, budget deficit, and public debt figures for years.
Additionally, the report criticized the central bank for allegedly printing money to fund the Mauritius Investment Corporation (MIC), an entity created in 2020 to assist businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Ramgoolam’s report described the act of printing money as “irresponsible” and warned of its negative impact on the country’s monetary system, particularly as the banking sector was already experiencing excess liquidity.
Prime Minister Ramgoolam, who returned to office after a decisive victory in the November parliamentary elections, has pledged to address issues of corruption and financial mismanagement that have plagued the country under the previous administration of Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth. Jugnauth’s government faced accusations of corruption, including alleged involvement in unauthorized wiretapping activities.
Mauritius, a stable democracy in the Indian Ocean, has long been regarded for its economic prosperity, built on finance, tourism, and agriculture. However, concerns about growing corruption and the erosion of civil rights have emerged in recent years, spurring political and social unrest. The investigation into Seegolam signals a continued effort by the new government to address these issues.
