The Family Protection Brigade based in Rose-Hill has initiated a Fast Track investigation into a case of molestation of a 13 year old woman from Reunion. The latter and her parents were on vacation in Mauritius when they went to the Ile aux Bénitiers on a boat trip. The skipper then proposed a snorkeling trip. He touched the teenager while she was swimming in the water. The suspect Fabrice Hypolite, in his thirties, was arrested on Tuesday, January 17, and then released on bail.
It was in the presence of her father that this young girl from Reunion gave her statement to a policewoman of the brigade for the protection of the family in the evening of Monday, January 16. In her complaint this student explained that she came on vacation to Mauritius since Monday, January 9 in the company of her parents and friends. On Monday, January 16, they had left for a boat trip to the island of Bénitiers. Around 2 pm the skipper of this boat, whom she knows as Fabrice, proposed them to do a snorkeling.
While she was swimming, this man touched her breasts on her clothes. A few minutes later she was still in the water, when this skipper who was standing on a coral reef behind her felt something. Turning around, she looked into the water with her mask and saw that this man had removed his black shorts and that his sex was out of his clothing.
Panicked she screamed for help and ran to her father. Her father immediately took her back to the boat. In shock, the teenager started to cry. When asked what happened, the skipper said that she had drunk some water. It is to her mother that the little girl from Reunion confided afterwards.
This case is followed by the Child Development Unit of Bambous. The victim was assisted by a psychologist. The same day the victim was examined by a forensic doctor at the Victoria Hospital, Candos. The victim and his family are expected to leave the country this Friday, January 20.
A provisional charge of “causing child to be sexually abused” has been filed against Fabrice Hypolite. He was arrested on Tuesday morning and brought before the court in Bambous. The same day he was released on parole.
