A provisional charge of “abducting minor” was lodged this Tuesday, October 11, against Constable Sooveer Kabir Sungum in the Pamplemousses court. This 20-year-old police officer, assigned to the Special Supporting Unit (SSU) N0 4 and resident of Rivière du Rempart, was already brought before the same court on Monday, October 10 on a provisional charge of manslaughter. This concerns the death of two teenagers, Kelina Mohono-Naiko and Saraah Jane Lootfun, aged 15 and 17 respectively, who were killed in the Nissan he was driving on the road from Haute Rive to Pointe des Lascars on Tuesday, October 4. In total, there were 8 people, including 6 minors, traveling in the car of this police officer, who tested positive for alcohol. He had 18 micrograms of alcohol in his breath.
This new tragedy sent shockwaves through the village of Rivière du Rempart on the afternoon of Tuesday, October 4, where the two teenagers lived. This news spread quickly after this accident occurred at around 2:20 pm. In addition to the two dead, the following passengers were on board this garnet-colored Toyota, a 16-year-old resident of Cottage, Shekirah Lootfun, 18, the sister of the 17-year-old deceased, Tejash Kumar Beebul, 21 of Pamplemousses and two 16-year-old teenagers, who live in L’Amaury and Roches-Noires respectively. The car was coming from Rivière du Rempart and was driving in the direction of Poudre d’Or when this accident occurred. The policeman Sungum would have lost control of his vehicle before it hit a tree on the left side of the road before rolling over several times to end up with all four wheels in the air.
After leaving the North Clinic in Baie du Tombeau on Monday, October 10, where he had been admitted since Wednesday, October 5, after being discharged from the Dr. Bruno Cheong Hospital in Flacq, Sooveer Sungum went to the Rivière du Rempart police station to give his statement in the presence of his lawyer, Me Abhishek Juggoo. On the same day, he was brought before the Pamplemousses court on a provisional charge of manslaughter. Since the police objected to his release on parole, he was kept in a police cell until October 17. After his appearance in court for “abducting minor”, he was returned to his cell.
