Azor Adelaide (15 February 192225 November 1971) was a Mauritian Creole political activist who was assassinated by gunshot along Chasteauneuf Road in the town of

Curepipe Curepipe () also known as ''La Ville-Lumière'' (The City of Light), is a town in Mauritius, located in the Plaines Wilhems District, the eastern part also lies in the Moka District. The town is administered by the Municipal Council of Curepipe ...

Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label=Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It incl ...

on 25 November 1971. Although witnesses have provided detailed accounts of the

murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...

it remains unsolved.

Trial of Sir Gaëtan Duval

In 1989 two ex-prisoners Paul Sarah and Moorgesh Shummoogum alleged in a statement to the police that in 1971 Sir Gaetan Duval had planned and commandeered the murder of Azor Adelaide at his Grand-Gaube bungalow. They made the police statement at the police station located outside then Prime Minister Sir

Aneerood Jugnauth Sir Anerood Jugnauth, Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean, GCSK, Padma Vibhushan, PV, (29 March 1930 – 3 June 2021) was a Mauritian politician and barrister who served both as President of Mauritius, President and Prime Minister of ...

's residence at La Caverne, Vacoas. Paul Sarah, Moorgesh Shummoogum, Ignace Bahloo and André Celestin had already served prison sentences for their involvement in the 1971 murder. During the afternoon of 23 June 1989 Duval landed at Plaisance Airport in Mauritius from Madagascar and he was questioned by Superintendent of Police Reesaul of the Anti Drug and Smuggling Unit (ADSU). Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Cyril Morvan was also travelling on the same flight. Duval was escorted to Line Barracks in

Port Louis Port Louis (french: Port-Louis; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Polwi or , ) is the capital city of Mauritius. It is mainly located in the Port Louis District, with a small western part in the Black River District. Port Louis is the country's ec ...

where he was arrested on murder charges. He was questioned in the presence of his lawyer

Kader Bhayat Abdool Kader Bhayat, most commonly known as Kader Bhayat (1936-2012) was a Mauritian lawyer, politician and former minister. He died on 15 November 2012 at the age of 76. Early life and career In 1936 Kader Bhayat was born in a wealthy family wh ...

before being detained at the barracks of Special Mobile Force in

Vacoas Vacoas-Phoenix () also known as French: ''Villes Jumelles'' (Twin Cities), is a town in Mauritius, located in the Plaines Wilhems District, the eastern part also lies in the Moka District. The town is administered by the Municipal Council of Vaco ...

. The arrest led to various protests by Gaetan Duval's supporters which sometimes turned violent. They protested against the dictatorial behaviour of then PM Sir

. However after a lengthy trial Duval was acquitted of all murder charges.

Bibliography

The murder of Azor Adelaide is a central theme of the 2011 book ''L'affaire Azor Adélaide: le plus célèbre crime politique à Maurice'' which was written by Mauritian author

Eric Bahloo Eric Bahloo (born 1964) is a Mauritian writer. Early life Eric Bahloo was born on the island of Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island ...

. Earlier in 2004 Jacques Panglose published a book ''Le procès du Roi'' which details the judicial battle of politician and lawyer Sir Gaetan Duval who was accused in 1989 by his former bodyguards of plotting and ordering the murder of Azor Adelaide.

References

1922 births 1971 deaths People from Plaines Wilhems District Assassinated activists History of Mauritius Riots and civil disorder in Mauritius Male murder victims People murdered in Mauritius Deaths by firearm {{Mauritius-politician-stub