Fenaka officials walk free from corruption scandal

The Prosecutor General’s office has ordered an anti-corruption watchdog to drop charges against senior Fenaka officials over abuse of power allegations in a foreign exchange transaction, local media has reported.

The Anti-Corruption Commission launched an inquiry more than a year ago into the theft of US$1million from the state-owned utility.

Fenaka reportedly released MVR17 million to a local company to purchase dollars at the rate of MVR15.42 to the dollar. It was to receive the dollar amount within 30 days, but the three-dollar cheques made out to the company with an invalid Mauritius Commercial Bank guarantee stamp bounced.

The Prosecutor General decided not to prosecute senior Fenaka officials and provided multiple reasons for it, ACC president Hassan Luthfy told Mihaaru. He also said the ACC would reach a decision after a meeting with its members.

The ACC had requested to press charges against Fenaka’s chief technical officer, deputy director and managing director.

Mohamed Nimal, the company’s managing director, was sacked two weeks after the foreign exchange scandal surfaced. Mihaaru has alleged politicians were involved, but that a defamation law prevented it from revealing their names.

It is not clear when the scam took place.