Excessive Delay in Police Investigation: Charges Dropped Against Kreepanand Pothiah

An excessive delay in the police investigation has led to the dismissal of charges against Kreepanand Pothiah. Pothiah was provisionally charged on July 13, 2023, for conspiracy to commit money laundering after a boat carrying 99 kg of cannabis, valued at Rs 118 million, was discovered near La Réunion. On October 15, 2025, the Bambous court dropped the provisional charges against him, citing unjustifiable delays in the police investigation. However, the court noted that the police may continue their investigation.

Kreepanand Pothiah, aged 39, was provisionally charged under sections 3, 4, and 8 of the Financial Intelligence and Anti-Money Laundering Act. He was accused of conspiring with a third party in a transaction related to the purchase of a pleasure boat in February 2021.

Through his lawyer, Pothiah requested the dismissal of the charges, arguing that the police investigation had taken excessively long, a claim which the prosecution opposed.

The case began on July 12, 2023, when an abandoned boat was found in La Réunion, alongside a package containing 99 kg of cannabis valued at Rs 118 million. The Anti-Drug and Smuggling Unit was alerted, and an investigation was initiated.

It was established that the boat belonged to Louis Kevin Louis, who purchased it from Kreepanand Pothiah in May 2023 for Rs 600,000. Pothiah had acquired it himself in February 2021 for Rs 900,000 from a French national, Samson Laurent Bernard George. The investigation also revealed that Pothiah may have acted as a front for his nephew, Davish Osa-Appadoo, during this transaction.

In court, the investigator explained that Kreepanand Pothiah owned the boat two years prior to its discovery in La Réunion. The buyer, Louis Kevin Louis, was unable to transfer the boat into his name due to financial constraints and even reported it stolen before it was found on the island.

Testifying under oath, Kreepanand Pothiah stated that it was Louis Kevin Louis who failed to complete the boat's transfer. He asserted that he had no connection to the case and promised to fully cooperate with the police. He also mentioned that the case had caused him significant harm, both personally and within his family.

Events from 2021

Magistrate Mohammad Ilfaaz Farook Nathire ruled that the over two-year delay in investigating events dating back to 2021 was unjustified. "The enquiry officer was unable to state whether there was any link between the applicant and the discovery of drugs which sparked the ongoing enquiry," he noted.

He also pointed out that one suspect is untraceable, and such a situation does not warrant such a prolonged investigation. "The worst part is that the police have been investigating this alleged offense of conspiracy for two years, and the enquiry is still not complete," he added.

Consequently, the magistrate dismissed the provisional charges against Kreepanand Pothiah. Nevertheless, the police may continue their investigation and submit a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions' office.