Jean Luc Léopold, 21 years old and living in Batterie-Cassée, Sainte-Croix, was involved in a road accident on the evening of Wednesday 16 November. The motorbike he was riding, a black Suzuki, collided head-on with a homeless man on the northbound highway near Appravasi Ghat. However, the motorcyclist, who does not hold any driving licence, abandoned his two-wheeler and the rump passenger, who was in his company, and fled. He took himself prisoner on Thursday morning, 17 November. A doctor from the Emergency Medical Service (SAMU), who had arrived on the scene, unfortunately had to declare the victim dead.
It was at around 8.20pm on the evening of Wednesday 16 November that a request was made to the Trou Fanfaron police station regarding a road accident. A motorbike was lying on the Northern Highway near Appravasi Ghat facing north. Two men were also lying on the road. Initially, investigators suspected that the homeless man was the driver.
But the injured motorcyclist identified himself as the rump passenger of the motorbike. The latter is a 28-year-old plumber, who lives in Batterie-Cassée, St. Croix. He had to tell the police that he did not know where the driver was. He was taken to the Dr A.G. Jeetoo Hospital, Port Louis for treatment. He was subsequently admitted to the ward and placed under police surveillance.
At around 9am on Thursday 17 November, Jean Léopold was taken into custody at the Trou-Fanfaron police station. He explained to the police that he was driving the motorbike at the time of the accident.
As the identity of the victim has not yet been established, an autopsy of his body has not yet been carried out. Jean Luc Léopold was brought before the Port-Louis court on Thursday 17 November on a provisional charge of manslaughter. The police did not object to his release on parole.
