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Soodhun’s suitcases continue to intrigue
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Soodhun’s suitcases continue to intrigue
How many suitcases did Vice-Prime Minister Showkutally Soodhun really have when he came back to the country after a trip to Saudi Arabia on board a private jet belonging to royalty? One, two, or more? That question was the topic of a case of alleged defamation that Soodhun launched against Weekly’s Chief Editor Touria Prayag in August. He had taken offence to an editorial written by Prayag, in which she mentioned that he had allegedly brought back six suitcases. The police inquiry has now been completed. The report was submitted to the director of public prosecutions for advice. It revealed an interesting element.
At the time of the polemic, Soodhun told the press that he only had “one small suitcase” with him on the jet, in addition to his hand luggage and a gift bag. However,the report shows that the minister, in his statement to the police, said that he had brought with him five pieces of luggage, including two suitcases. CCTV footage from his arrival shows a staff member dragging the two suitcases across the custom’s area at the YU Lounge. Statements to the police from staff members at the YU Lounge and civil servants working with the minister confirm that there were two suitcases. So, by the looks of things, the vice– prime minister must have forgotten about the existence of one of his suitcases when he spoke to the press about his “one small suitcase”.
In his statement to the police, Soodhun accused Prayag of portraying him as a defrauder and smuggler. Prayag told the police that she wrote the editorial after having been given information from a source. She pointed out that she used the word ‘allegedly’ which means that she was not personally making any accusations.
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