Madagascar tycoon Mamy Ravatomanga seeks bail in $155 million Mauritius laundering case

Mamy Ravatomanga interrupted his own bail hearing on Monday, watching by video link from Melrose prison, to shout that there were too many lies being told about him.

His lawyer, Kushal Lobine, told him he would have his chance to speak later.

The Malagasy businessman is applying again for conditional release before the Bail and Remand Court in Mauritius, where he faces two provisional charges of money laundering and one of conspiracy relating to influence peddling, lodged by the Financial Crimes Commission. The investigation, known as Operation Sov Lapo, concerns alleged laundering of $155.4 million (7.3 billion Mauritian rupees) at 46.96 rupees to the dollar.

Hans Aleear, the commission's acting director of investigations, gave evidence for the prosecution, led by Trishul Naga. He described the case against Ravatomanga as strong and said the commission opposes any release.

Aleear told the court that Ravatomanga arrived in Mauritius on Oct. 12 aboard a private jet, accompanied by relatives and Madagascar's former prime minister, having left his own country after an international arrest warrant was issued against him following the change of government there.

The commission alleges state capture. Aleear told the court that Ravatomanga is the ultimate beneficial owner of the Sodiat group and benefited from favours granted by Madagascar's former president and former prime minister, in conduct the commission characterises as involving influence peddling, corruption, misappropriation of funds and money laundering.

The transactions under examination include the sale of aircraft to Iran, exports of lychees from Madagascar to European markets, wheat imports into Madagascar and the construction of a motorway on the island, according to his testimony.

Sodiat's Mauritian operations are interconnected with several entities and multiple bank accounts, Aleear said, and the Supreme Court has issued criminal attachment orders over them.

The commission opposes bail on two grounds. On flight risk, Aleear said the offences carry heavy penalties, that Ravatomanga holds a diplomatic passport, and that he has what the witness called immense financial means. He told the court that France Ocean Airways, part of the Sodiat group, operates seven jets, one of which brought Ravatomanga to Mauritius, and that another had previously been used to remove a person to Japan.

On interference, Aleear pointed to a meeting at Quatre Bornes on Oct. 14 last year between Ravatomanga, the former FCC commissioner Junaid Fakim and a man named as David Thomas. He said the meeting showed Ravatomanga was already attempting to obtain confidential information about the investigation into him.

He also told the court that Malagasy investigators had informed the commission that a former Sodiat employee received threats from Ravatomanga's son-in-law, that the accused had instructed his wife to delete compromising messages from her telephone, and that calls had been placed from Melrose prison to Madagascar which the commission strongly suspects came from him.

None of these allegations has been tested at trial. Ravatomanga has not been convicted of any offence, and the charges against him in Mauritius remain provisional.

The commission's investigation is continuing, Aleear said, in cooperation with the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, the French prosecution service and Madagascar's anti-corruption unit. Around 60 witness statements have been taken.

The case returned to the Bail and Remand Court on Tuesday, when Lobine was due to begin cross-examining Aleear.