Police vs Yogida Sawmynaden
Acquittal for Yogida Sawmynaden in the “Constituency Clerk” Case
The Intermediate Court rendered a verdict of acquittal yesterday in favour of former Minister of Commerce, Yogida Sawmynaden, in the case known as the “Constituency Clerk”. Sawmynaden was accused of two charges: “forgery of private writing” and “making use of forged private writing”, under articles 111 and 112 of the Penal Code. The allegations centered around an alleged false statement drafted in response to the complaint of Sakuntala (Simla) Kistnen, who claimed to have been deprived of financial assistance from the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In her judgment, Magistrate Anusha D. Rawoah concluded that Simla Kistnen’s testimony was riddled with contradictions, which contributed to Sawmynaden’s acquittal on the first charge and the granting of the benefit of the doubt on the second charge.
This decision by the Intermediate Court marks an important milestone in this highly publicized case. It underscores the importance of presenting credible and coherent evidence to support criminal charges. However, it also raises questions about the strength of the initial accusations and the reliability of the testimony presented in court.
While Yogida Sawmynaden has been cleared of all charges in this case, the broader consequences of this decision remain to be seen. It is likely that this case will continue to provoke debate and draw attention to issues of transparency, integrity, and impartiality in the administration of justice in Mauritius.
* Read Magistrate Rawoah’s judgment –
‘Police vs Yogida Sawmynaden – Judgment 30 May 2024’ – by clicking on the link below:
Police-vs-Yogida Sawmynaden- Judgment – 30 May 2024
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