Mauritius Bar Council condemns ‘vile attacks’ by ruling political party

The Mauritius Bar Association (Bar Council) has unreservedly condemned the “gratuitous and unfounded attacks” by Facebook groups close of the MSM ruling party against the legal profession, the judiciary, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the latter’s office.

Bar Council President Mrs Priscilla Balgobin-Bhoyrul said the intervention of the President of the Republic Prithvirajsing Roopun and the Chief Judge Rehana Mungly-Gulbul will be sought to put an end to the attacks.

“Lawyers must be able to practice their profession independently and without interference,”Priscilla Balgobin-Bhoyrul was cited as saying. “The Bar Council stands by our members”.

A statement following a special meeting held at the request of lawyers to discuss the various attacks against the legal profession described the attacks as “vile and unfounded”.

Such attacks were also allegedly reiterated by PM Minister Pravind Jugnauth.

A voice recording that went viral – attributed to be that of Jugnauth during a private meeting he had with religious leaders – described the Magistrate of Moka Court, Jade Ng Chai King, as “incompetent” and her ruling as “wobbly” – after the release on bail of political activist Bruneau Laurette.

Labour Party leader Navin Ramgoolam also denounced Jugnauth’s alleged attacks.

“One has the right to criticise a judgment but not to insult a magistrate or a DPP,” he said.

Since the incident, the MSM ruling party and PM Pravind Jugnauth are increasingly being accused of attempting to undermine the powers and independence of the judiciary and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Antoine Domingue, Senior Counsel, described Jugnauth’s comments as “insulting”.

He also hit at the defamatory publications by the Sun TV News Facebook page as well as the comments attributed to PM against Magistrate Jade Ngan Chai King as “being well organized and planned”.

Source: MBA, Le Mauricien