Jean Désiré Décidé, alias Nono, was arrested yesterday as part of the investigation into the Franklin case. Yesterday, he appeared before the court of Mahébourg. A provisional charge of money laundering was retained against him. Nono was not granted bail. He was therefore returned to the police cell. He will be brought before the court again on 21 February. It should be remembered that his name was mentioned, along with Franklin’s, in a judgment in Reunion Island, handed down in July 2021. Both had been sentenced to 7 years in prison for exporting cannabis to Mauritius.
Yesterday, Franklin was still being questioned at Icac in relation to information obtained from his ex-wife. So far, he has faced three interrogation sessions since his arrest on February 7. His lawyer, Mᵉ Yatin Varma, sought some clarification on the progress of the investigation. As a first step, Magistrate Vidya Mungroo-Jugurnath clarified that the court cannot interfere with an ongoing investigation and that the case is still at an early stage. “It is at an early stage and at the level of the judiciary we do not impede into inquiry unless it is for a bail hearing. Your client has been arrested for a week only.” The magistrate then allowed the lawyer to ask some general questions. ICAC investigator: The investigation has progressed significantly. More people will be interviewed, and more arrests are expected. His parole motion will be debated on Monday, February 20.
