Mauritius former technology minister sentenced over conflict

Reuters
Mauritius' former Finance Minister Pravind Jugnauth presents the budget for 2011 at the National Assembly in Port Louis November 19, 2010. REUTERS/Ally Soobye

PORT LOUIS (Reuters) - A Mauritian court sentenced a former technology minister who is the premier's son to 12 months in prison on Thursday for conflict of interest under the state's anti-corruption act. Pravind Jugnauth, 53, the son of Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, said he would appeal against his conviction. He resigned his minister's post on Wednesday, when he was found guilty. He was accused of taking part, when finance minister, in a decision to reallocate Ministry of Health funds to acquire a private hospital, Medpoint, in which his sister had stakes. "I have not committed any offence of conflict of interest and I will appeal the judgment," Jugnauth told reporters, saying it would be a long fight but he was determined to clear his name. The magistrates of the intermediate court said in a sentence seen by Reuters late on Thursday that it was not a case of corruption but of conflict of interest.