A statement for police brutality was made in the early hours of this Friday morning, January 6, by Marie Monica Juliette, aged 31. This factory worker from Cité Sainte Claire, Goodlands, filed a complaint against police officers of the Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU) whom she alleges to have brutalized her husband, Steeve Juliette, also known as Jacquelin, 36 years old, during a raid in this locality on the morning of Thursday, January 05. Steeve Juliette, who was complaining of body pains, went to the North Hospital in the evening of Thursday, January 5.
Dr. Sudesh Kumar Gungadin, head of the police forensic department who autopsied the body at the morgue of the Dr. A.G. Jeetoo Hospital, Port-Louis on the afternoon of Friday, January 6, in the company of Dr. Maxwell Monvoisin and Dr. Prem Chamane, Principal Police Medical Officers, attributed the death to cardiac insufficiency.
The medical examiners found only two bruises on the victim’s feet. Samples were taken during the autopsy to be analyzed at the Forensic Science Laboratory in Reduit. Although Steeve Juliette was not undergoing any treatment for heart problems, the forensic scientists found that his right artery was completely blocked and that he was suffering from cholesterol.
This Friday, January 06, around 00:34 am, Monica Juliette went to the police station of Piton to file a complaint against the police officers of the ADSU. Her statement was made in the presence of Mr. Sanjeev Teeluckdharry and Mr. Anoop Goodary. The thirty year old woman gave the history of the day of Thursday, January 05, she said that she went out to inquire about the situation as soon as she heard a noise on Hortensia Street in Cité Sainte Claire, Goodlands. That is when she saw four ADSU vehicles.
She was informed that her husband was arrested and beaten all over his body for unknown reasons. Afterwards, Steeve Juliette was released and she went to meet him. Her husband told her that he was beaten, but that he was afraid to go to the hospital. The same day, he was taken to the North Hospital at about 9:30 p.m. and afterwards she was to learn that her husband had died.
In an entry made to the Police Post of this hospital at 03:10 in the morning of Friday, January 06, a police officer reported that the victim arrived at the Casualty Ward at 22:36, and Dr. Beegun, who was on duty, was to find out that he died at 23:05 in the evening of Thursday, January 05.
As a reminder, a crackdown was organized in Cité Sainte Claire from 10:45 am on the morning of Thursday, January 05. Four houses were searched simultaneously. The ADSU of the division said they faced a hostile crowd during this exercise, which resulted in two arrests for drug trafficking. They are Louis Sergio Mimi, 25, and Jean Daniel Juliette, a 38-year-old mason. The latter is the brother of Steeve Juliette.
Brian Mimi was found in possession of 12.59 grams of heroin, 24 psychotropic tablets and the sum of Rs 4250 while Daniel Juliette was arrested after being found in possession of 8.50 grams of synthetic drugs and the sum of Rs 1775. The two suspects were brought before the court of Pamplemousses this Friday morning of January 06.
Daniel Juliette was released on bail of Rs 15 000 and an IOU of Rs 50 000.
The funeral of Steeve Juliette is scheduled for today.
