Investigation into MK-Grant Thornton Links: Sattar Hajee Abdoula Accused by Colleague
Investigation into MK-Grant Thornton Links: Sattar Hajee Abdoula Accused by Colleague
Published by Le Dimanche Hebdo on Sun, November 23, 2025 - 11:00
The investigation by the Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) into the "Advisory Services" contracts awarded to Grant Thornton by Air Mauritius reached a crucial stage on Thursday. Mariam Rajabally, a partner at the firm, has directly implicated her former colleague Sattar Hajee Abdoula, who is already provisionally charged with money laundering.
At the center of the investigation are Rs 3.6 million paid in March 2020 to Grant Thornton for an "Advisory Services" contract. These services were allegedly awarded while Sattar Hajee Abdoula held the position of administrator responsible for the restructuring of Air Mauritius.
Indeed, on April 22, 2020, Sattar Hajee Abdoula was appointed Joint Administrator of the carrier alongside Arvindsingh Gokhool, tasked with drafting a restructuring plan. The company was placed under voluntary administration by its board of directors from April 2020 to September 2021. For his services in the context of this plan, Sattar Hajee Abdoula received Rs 141 million. The firm also received Rs 5 million for its role as administrator at Airmate Ltd. This dual role raises questions about a potential conflict of interest and the lack of a transparent selection process.
The CEO of Grant Thornton, arrested on Wednesday, November 19, denies the FCC's money laundering allegations. Represented by attorney Me Raouf Gulbul, he stated that he only received half of the payments corresponding to actual services rendered. After spending a night at Dr. A.G. Jeetoo Hospital, he has been admitted to Wellkin Clinic for health reasons and remains under police surveillance. Further questioning will take place upon his release.
On Thursday, at the FCC's offices, Mariam Rajabally was confronted with Sattar Hajee Abdoula's statements. According to gathered information, she categorically denied any involvement in negotiating the contract with Air Mauritius, presenting internal emails that she claims show that this responsibility lay solely with the CEO.
This testimony undermines the former administrator's defense strategy. At the FCC, Mariam Rajabally's questioning is seen as a pivotal moment. Investigators are now trying to determine whether other members of the firm were aware of the awarding conditions or if key decisions were centralized among a few officials, possibly just the CEO.
The investigation also aims to examine the internal decision-making structure and to ascertain whether internal procedures were bypassed to facilitate certain financial transactions. It focuses on how payments related to contracts totaling Rs 141 million received by Grant Thornton for its "Advisory Services" were processed.
New developments are anticipated in this case, which raises questions about the governance of public contracts under the former government. In a parliamentary response on May 6, Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam revealed that between 2015 and 2024, Sattar Hajee Abdoula had received a total of Rs 287.2 million for his roles in public, parastatal, and private institutions linked to the state.
