The L'Amicale Four

The L'Amicale Four

Author: BBC World Service March 17, 2026 Duration: 10:15

In 1999, a fire at the L’Amicale gambling house in Port Louis, Mauritius, killed seven people. The fire began during riots that followed a disputed football final between the Catholic Fire Brigade and the Muslim supported Scouts Club.

Police arrested dozens of suspects, and four men were later convicted of arson and murder. They became known as the L’Amicale Four.

Years later, a group of senior lawyers reviewed the case and found major gaps in the original investigation, raising new questions about what really happened.

Katie Harris hears from Imran Sumodhee, one of the L’Amicale Four.

A CTVC production.

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(Picture: A crowd of supporters for the L'Amical Four. Credit: l’express)


Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.We look at the lives of some of the most...
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