Rs 30 Billion Oil Contracts Awarded by STC: Kareena Neisius Released on Bail

The Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) did not object to the release on bail of Kareena Neisius. This resident of Goodlands must pay a bail of Rs 400,000 by check and sign a debt acknowledgment of Rs 3 million. She appeared before the Rose-Hill court on Tuesday, April 29. The director of Mercantile & Maritime Group (MMG) was arrested the day before following her questioning 'under warning' by the FCC. She is facing a preliminary charge of "Conspiracy to commit the offence of money laundering." She was represented by lawyers Yahia Nazroo and Marylou Subramanien.

Kareena Neisius was confronted with evidence deemed incriminating in the FCC investigation into potential irregularities regarding the Rs 30 billion oil contracts awarded by the State Trading Corporation (STC) to the MMG firm.

After her arrest, the MMG director had to be transported to Victoria Hospital in Candos by a SAMU vehicle due to a malaise that occurred during her nine-hour interrogation.

This is the first arrest in the FCC's investigation concerning irregularities and conflicts of interest in the awarding of Rs 30 billion oil contracts by the STC to MMG for the supply of petroleum products for the period 2023-2024. Investigators are looking to determine any connections between Kareena Neisius and the former STC director, Rajiv Servansingh, in the awarding of these contracts for importing gasoline, diesel, and Jet A1 for the Mauritian market between August 2023 and July 2024.

The FCC is also examining the possibility of collusion aimed at favoring the interests of the MMG group in the awarding of this contract.