President Mauritius resigns

port louis - The Mauritian president Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the first female head of state of the island state in the Indian Ocean, has resigned. She will give up her office on 23 March after allegations of fraud.

Gurib-Fakim ​​stated that she had accidentally used a payment card given to her by the Planet Earth Institute in 2016 and identical to a bank card she already had. After informing the London-based charity that she had used the organization's card for around $ 27,000 in expenses, she immediately repaid the amount. Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth promised to take action against Gurib-Fakim ​​if she did not resign in the aftermath of the scandal.

'In the interest of the country and that of the Mauritian population, she now prefers to leave', said her lawyer. The departure of Gurib-Fakim ​​will contribute to the prevention of a constitutional crisis, he said, referring to the clash between Gurib-Fakim ​​and Jugnauth. Earlier the president denied that she intended to resign.