A court in Mauritius on Monday granted bail to former finance minister Renganaden Padayachy who was charged with embezzlement last week.

Padayachy was charged alongside former central bank governor Harvesh Seegolam. They are accused of embezzling about $6.7 million from the Mauritius Investment Corporation.

The fund was set up to help cushion companies from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The two have denied wrongdoing.

Seegolam was the first to be released on bail last week.

At Padayachy’s bail hearing, the Financial Crimes Commission, the country’s anti-corruption said it did not object to the bail application.

The government of Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has accused the previous administration of Pravind Jugnauth – under which the two former officials served – of lying about economic growth, the budget deficit and public debt for years.

Jugnauth himself was arrested in February on money laundering charges. He was freed on bail after days.

Jugnauth was prime minister from 2017 until November last year when his Militant Socialist Movement suffered a crushing defeat in the general elections.  

Following the polls, new Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam announced a public finances audit.  

Gabonese expressed themselves following the provisional results indicating that Brice Oligui Nguema, the military junta who removed longtime president Ali Bongo in a coup in 2023, has emerged victorious in Gabon’s presidential election, securing an impressive 90.35% of the votes.

Brice Oligui Nguema, aged 50, achieved a remarkable victory, securing 90.35% of the votes and surpassing seven other contenders, including the former Prime Minister Alain Claude Bilie-By-Nze, who garnered only 3% of the votes, as reported by Interior Minister Hermann Immongault during the announcement of provisional results.

Elodie KOBY, a linguistics student, expressed, “For young people, our main concern is the need for job opportunities, especially for graduates who are struggling to find employment.”

The Interior Ministry reported a voter turnout of 87.21% in this election, with approximately 920,000 registered voters, including over 28,000 from abroad, participating at more than 3,000 polling stations.

Geneviève DEWUNO EDOU, a resident of Libreville, stated, “As a Gabonese citizen, I hope President Oligui Nguema will consider the people’s needs, particularly in improving the living conditions for those in the majority who reside in underprivileged neighborhoods.”

This election marks Gabon’s first since the military coup in 2023, which ended a political dynasty that had lasted over five decades.

It was viewed as a pivotal moment for the nation of 2.3 million, where a third of the population lives in poverty despite the country’s significant oil resources.

Rachid Olsen Boueni, a student, remarked, “What we seek is a more comprehensive social policy. We do not want to see our elderly left to fend for themselves on the streets.”

Following the coup, Nguema garnered support from the Gabonese people by advocating for change.

He pledged to restore civilian governance through free and fair elections, contrasting sharply with what many perceived as a dictatorship under the Bongo family.

Algeria has instructed 12 French officials to leave the country within 48 hours, as stated by the French foreign minister on Monday.

This action is reportedly related to the arrest of three Algerian nationals in France.

“I am asking Algerian authorities to abandon these expulsion measures… if the decision to send back our officials is maintained, we will have no other choice but to respond immediately,” Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said.

A diplomatic source revealed that among those asked to depart are members of the French interior ministry.

This incident follows the indictment of three Algerians, including a consular official, by French prosecutors on Friday, who are suspected of participating in the abduction of Algerian influencer Amir Boukhors in a Paris suburb in April 2024.

Known as “Amir DZ,” Boukhors is a vocal opponent of the Algerian government and has amassed over a million followers on TikTok and was granted political asylum in 2023.

The Algerian government is calling for his return to face legal proceedings, having issued nine international arrest warrants against him for alleged fraud and terrorism.

This situation puts additional pressure on a relationship that is already in disrepair. For decades, the ties between Paris and Algiers have been intricate, despite ongoing efforts to enhance their relationship.