In less than 24 hours, the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of Terre Rouge solved the murder of Marc Henri Collaud, 75, a Swiss national who had lived in Mauritius for ten years. The man, who had been living alone since separating from his wife in 2016, was found dead at his home in Route Dispensaire, Terre-Rouge shortly before 6pm on Sunday, March 24. In the wake of the police investigation, the CID led by sub-inspector, Forod detained a couple from Karo Kaliptis, Roche Bois during the day on Monday March 25. Valérie Hogan, 24, and Bonny Potou, 40, confessed to killing the septuagenarian during a burglary gone wrong. The autopsy performed on the victim’s body on Monday morning, March 25, attributed his death to asphyxia due to strangulation. The victim would have turned 76 on Monday April 8.
Following a request in the early evening of Sunday March 24, a team of police officers from the Terre Rouge police station led by Chief Inspector Nirmal Ghurburrun went to the home of the septuagenarian. He was lying on his right side, wearing only his black briefs. His hands were tied with white string, and beige nylon was tied around his neck. He bore wounds all over his body. He was inert, with dilated pupils and blood near his mouth.
The crime scene was identified at the rear of a concrete outbuilding. The scene was secured with yellow tape. An ambulance from the Service d’Aide Médicale d’Urgence was called to the address. The doctor on board had no choice but to pronounce Marc Collaud dead. Marc Collaud, a businessman, had held a resident’s permit since March 31, 2015. After forensic technicians had examined the scene, the police photographer and draughtsman took photos and measurements respectively. Dr Maxwell Monvoisin, Principal Police Medical Officer, carried out an initial examination of the body before it was transported to the North Hospital morgue for autopsy. He has already put forward the hypothesis that the victim may have been strangled.
Investigators took statements from two neighbors and the victim’s wife. Since separating from her husband, his wife has been living at cité Briquetterie, Sainte Croix. Valérie Hogan and Bonny Potou will be brought before the Pamplemousses court this Tuesday morning, March 26, on a provisional charge of murder.
On the evening of Sunday March 24, a resident of Bois Marchand, Terre Rouge was arrested as a suspect in the case, but denied involvement. She was, however, taken into custody on a theft charge.
