Mauritius minister resigns after drug links

PORT LOUIS, Mauritius: The minister for gender equality in Mauritius has stepped down, the prime minister announced, after an inquiry on the Indian Ocean island linked politicians, police, lawyers and prison guards to drug traffickers.

The findings of the commission of inquiry released on Friday accused the minister, Roubina Jadoo-Jaunbocus, a lawyer, of meeting jailed drug traffickers who were not her clients.

She was also alleged to have been complicit in money laundering and arranging a money transfer to a drug trafficker.

With deputy speaker in the national assembly Sanjeev Teeluckdharry also resigning after being implicated in the scandal, the commission called for further in-depth investigations to take place. Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth told a press conference on Friday that the minister and the deputy speaker both disputed the findings and would take legal action over the allegations.

"Roubina Jadoo-Jaunbocus will have the chance to return to her ministerial position if she can clear her name in court," the prime minister said.