Constable Vikash Rajen Summoogum, aged 30, was arrested on the afternoon of Friday July 14. This followed a statement made against him by a 24-year-old entrepreneur from Pailles. The Pailles police officer was accused of using the man’s cell phone to transfer Rs 10,000 via the Juice application. Following the arrest of police officer Rajen Summoogum, a search was carried out in his locker at Pailles police station. A quantity of synthetic drugs was found.
Following his arrest, Rajen Summoogum was placed in a cell at the Vacoas detention center. On the morning of Saturday July 15, the suspect was brought before the Bail and Remand Court (BRC) in Port-Louis. He is due to appear in court on Monday July 18. He is facing a provisional charge of public official soliciting bribe.
Constable Rajen Summoogum was arrested at around 3.30pm on Friday July 14 by a team from the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the Metropolitan Police’s Southern Division. Shortly afterwards, his locker was searched at his place of work. This led to the discovery of a quantity of synthetic drugs. A search was then conducted at his home in La Tour Koenig, Pointe aux Sables. No incriminating items were found.
The bribe case dates back to the evening of Sunday July 9, at around 9:30 pm. It was during a traffic stop on Avenue Pailles. Constable Rajen Summoogum, who was part of the team, stopped the driver of a white Nissan. The driver did not stop, but after a chase he did stop a little further on.
The driver and other occupants of the car were taken to the Pailles police station. The driver was informed that he was under arrest. At one point, police officer Rajen Summoogum told him, “koz parol sinon to pe ale dormi”. The police officer then took his phone and placed it in front of his face to perform facial recognition. Once the phone had been unlocked, he used the Juice application to make a transfer of Rs 10,000. He had to tell the man that he wasn’t going to charge him with the attempted murder case, but that he was only going to be booked for traffic offences.
Constable Rajen Summoogum, a ten-year veteran of the police force, was returned to his cell after his court appearance.
