19-Year-Old Driver Faces 4 New Charges After Fatal Hit-and-Run Tense Re-enactment

The community of Camp-Levieux has been reeling from a sequence of events following the fatal hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of 30-year-old Muzzamil Hussenbocus. What began as a tragic traffic collision on Friday, November 7, quickly escalated into a high-stakes legal and public affairs crisis.

The initial, controversial decision to grant bail to the 19-year-old driver and his passenger—who were filmed fleeing the scene—ignited widespread public anger.

This public outcry reached a flashpoint during a cancelled reconstruction of the events, ultimately forcing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to reverse its position and order the re-detention of the driver.

The Incident and Immediate Aftermath (Friday, November 7)

• Friday, November 7: The fatal accident occurred in Camp-Levieux.
• The Incident: Muzzamil Hussenbocus, 30, riding a motorcycle, was violently struck by a rented Suzuki car driven by a 19-year-old.
• Hit-and-Run: Immediately following the collision, surveillance cameras filmed the driver (19) and his 20-year-old passenger fleeing the scene on foot. The driver failed to provide any assistance to the victim.
• Police Investigation: An inquiry was launched, which quickly identified and led to the arrest of the two suspects.
• Driver Details: The 19-year-old driver was subjected to a screening test and tested positive for drugs. It was later established that he did not possess a valid driving licence. Furthermore, alcoholic beverages were found in the vehicle.
• Initial Provisional Charges: The driver was provisionally charged with “involuntary homicide by imprudence” (manslaughter by negligence).
• His passenger was charged with “non-assistance to a person in danger” (failing to render assistance to a person in danger).

Court Proceedings and Initial Release

• Saturday/Sunday Night (November 8/9): The two suspects were placed in police custody.
• Sunday (November 9): The police submitted a memo to the DPP office, indicating their intention to object to the suspects’ conditional release (bail).

The DPP’s office later noted this initial memo failed to include essential facts like:

• *The driver did not possess a valid driving licence.
• *The driver was tested positive for drugs.
• *The driver failed to provide any assistance to the victim after the impact.
• *Alcoholic beverages were found in the vehicle.
• Sunday (November 9): The suspects appeared before the Bail and Remand Court (BRC). The office of the DPP did not agree to the police’s request to object to bail. The BRC ordered their release on parole.
• Monday (November 10, 2025): The two suspects appeared before the Rose Hill District Court. Following their provisional charges, they were finally released on bail.
• Bail Conditions: Each had to provide a surety of Rs 100,000 and sign a recognition of debt of Rs 300,000. They were also required to report to their local police station once a day.
• The decision to release the suspects under these conditions shocked the victim’s family and generated a wave of public emotion and indignation, notably on social media.
• The police were forced to issue a statement, asking the public to remain calm and assuring that “Those who are at fault will have to answer in court.”

Reconstitution and Re-detention

• Thursday (November 13): A police reconstitution of the facts was scheduled at Camp-Levieux.
• Tension and Cancellation: The operation was held in an extremely tense atmosphere. The victim’s family and a large crowd gathered, expressing their anger and incomprehension and chanting “Criminal!”.
• Police officers struggled to maintain control. When the suspect was brought out, the crowd’s fury intensified, leading police to cancel the reconstruction for safety reasons.
• Thursday (November 13): Following the public pressure and the unrest at the scene, the DPP’s office held an urgent meeting with the investigators, where they were informed (late) of the critical new elements: no valid licence, drug positive test, failure to assist, and alcohol in the car.
• Friday (November 14): The DPP’s office reversed its position on the driver’s bail. The 19-year-old driver, Ismael Nigel Aziza Decidé, was arrested again on the order of the DPP.
• Saturday (November 15): The DPP’s office issued a communiqué stating that the driver would be placed in detention due to the discovery of essential new facts. The police confirmed they would object to bail.
• Monday (November 17): The driver was presented in the Rose-Hill court and provisionally faced four charges: involuntary homicide by imprudence, guilty omission, driving under the influence of drugs, and driving without a licence.

Justice Delayed, Detention Ordered

The detention of Ismael Nigel Aziza Decidé, now facing four serious provisional charges, marks a critical turning point in the Muzzamil Hussenbocus case.

While the initial release on bail caused significant distress and public disorder, the subsequent discovery of key evidence—particularly the driver’s lack of licence and positive drug test—prompted the DPP to intervene, demonstrating a response to both new facts and public sentiment.

The driver remains in detention until his next court appearance on Monday, November 24.

The ongoing police investigation aims to bring formal charges against both the driver and his passenger, ensuring that, as the police press office stated, “Those who are at fault will have to answer in court.”

Source: Le Mauricien