Public Infrastructure Minister Ajay Gunness to face further questioning in drunk driving case
via Le Mauricien1 min read
Magistrate Bibi Azna Bholah, sitting in the Curepipe district court, has ordered that Chief Inspector Bhunjun, the Enquiring Officer in the criminal trial against Public Infrastructure Minister Ajay Gunness, be recalled to the witness stand. Minister Gunness faces four formal charges under the Road Traffic Act, including drunk driving, refusal to submit to a breathalyzer test, refusal to provide a urine or blood sample, and refusal to comply. He has pleaded not guilty. The magistrate's ruling follows a motion by Minister Gunness's lawyers, Me Rishi Hurdowar and Me Shanyu Seewoonarain, who seek to cross-examine the witness again. The representative of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Me Pareemala Mauree, had objected to this motion, arguing that it constituted an abuse of procedure due to a change of lawyer by the defendant. However, the court ruled that the defendant's right to a fair trial must take precedence. The case has been adjourned to Wednesday, August 12, 2026, when Chief Inspector Bhunjun is scheduled to reappear in court. A police officer intercepted a car driven by Ajay Gunness in Flor茅al on January 9, 2023. According to the officer's testimony in court, he detected an odor of alcohol and attempted to administer a breathalyzer test, but the minister allegedly refused to comply before leaving the scene in his car. Ajay Gunness maintains that the officer only requested his driver's license, which he provided.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Mauricien.
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