A gruesome discovery was made in the afternoon of Wednesday, October 19, in a makeshift shelter on state land behind the recreational park, Sir Gaëtan Duval in Cité Roche-Bois. The lifeless body of Maeva Edouard, a homeless woman (homeless), who had a head wound, was discovered lying on her stomach. An autopsy performed in the early evening attributed her death to cranial-cerebral injuries. The investigation by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the Metropolitan Police Northern Division resulted in the arrest of James Mike Stephan Simon, a 42-year-old driver’s aide. The latter appeared in court in Port-Louis on Thursday morning, October 20, where he was charged with a provisional murder.
It was around 2:05 pm that a team of police officers from the Roche-Bois police station, led by Inspector Reeaze Ramjan, went to the back of the Sir Gaëtan Duval recreational park in Cité Roche-Bois. On a wasteland, these police officers found a makeshift shelter built of wood, sheet metal and plastic under which the body of Maeva Edouard was discovered. Lying flat on her stomach, this 23 year old woman from La Butte, Port-Louis, who is homeless, had a head wound. A case of foul-play is suspected.
The CID is alerted. A team, led by Sergeant Antish Gujadhur, soon arrived at the crime scene, under the supervision of Superintendent of Police, Rajeswar Ramsawock. Superintendent of Police Marie Lise Juliette also arrived at the scene. Several police units were called to the site, which was secured. Forensic technicians were sent to the scene to collect evidence and take samples that could help advance this investigation.
The body of Maeva Edouard was subsequently transported to the morgue of the Dr. A.G. Jeetoo Hospital, Port-Louis for the investigation. Jeetoo Hospital, Port-Louis to be autopsied. The autopsy, performed by Dr. Prem Chamane, Principal Police Medical Officer, attributed the death to cranial-cerebral injuries. A malicious act was confirmed.
Sergeant Gujadhur’s team, in charge of the Roche-Bois region, wasted no time in conducting field work to obtain information in order to elucidate this case. This is how Stephan Simon was arrested. The latter, also a homeless person, has a shelter not far from the victim’s. Stephan Simon, a ‘prime suspect’, was taken to the CID office to be subjected to a close interrogation.
Although the suspect claims to be innocent in this case, events are not in his favor. The doctor claims that the victim died at around 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 19. In his statement, he said that the victim returned to his shelter at 2 a.m. the same day. And when he left his house at 6 a.m., she was still alive. He said he knew the victim, because his brother had been her companion.
The investigation in this case is under the supervision of the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mohunlall Madhow, the Divisional Commander.
