For alleged defamatory statements, the Minister of Energy Joe Lesjongard is claiming Rs 25 Million from Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) MP Joanna Bérenger. On Thursday 28 September 2023, he lodged a complaint with the Supreme Court. The case will be heard on 19 October 2023.
In his complaint, drafted by Mr Ravi Ramdewar (solicitor), Minister Lesjongard states that the comments made by the Mauve MP at a press conference on Saturday 16 September 2023 are highly defamatory and were made in bad faith. He maintains that these remarks, which were also published in the press, cause him immense prejudice, and were made with the aim of damaging his reputation. This would be a fault.
At the press conference, Joanna Bérenger made allegations of wrongdoing surrounding the award of a contract by the Central Electricity Board (CEB) for a solar farm project.
Following this summons, Joanna Bérenger was quick to react. She said it was ironic that she should have received the summons on 28 September 2023, International Right of Access to Information Day.
