Madagascar’s Mamy Ravamatoga arrested in Mauritius

Barely a month after insisting he had “nothing to hide,” Madagascar businessman Mamy Ravatomanga has been arrested in Mauritius in connection with the controversial transfer of Boeing aircraft to Iran, according to local authorities. The arrest comes just two weeks after he reportedly flew to Mauritius on a private jet amid growing unrest at home.

Ravatomanga detained, assets frozen in Mauritius

A senior investigator at the Mauritius Financial Crimes Commission, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed that Ravatomanga was taken into custody on Friday at a private clinic. “We had to arrest him immediately for fear that he might flee, like Carlos Ghosn,” the investigator said, referring to the former Nissan chairman who escaped house arrest in Japan in 2019.

The 56-year-old tycoon is under investigation for alleged money laundering, and his assets in Mauritius have been frozen. A letter dated Oct. 20 from Madagascar’s justice ministry, said Ravatomanga was among those suspected of facilitating the seizure of five Boeing 777s by Iran’s Mahan Air in July, in violation of U.S. sanctions. Investigators believe the planes were transferred using registration documents issued by Madagascar’s Civil Aviation Authority.

Wealth, power, and the people’s voice

Ravatomanga built his fortune through the Sodiat Group, a diversified conglomerate with holdings in agriculture, logistics, real estate and security. He was seen for years as a key backer of former President Andry Rajoelina and a powerful figure behind the scenes of Madagascar’s political establishment.

But his influence waned after youth-led demonstrations broke out in late September over worsening living conditions, including power cuts and rising food prices. Protesters accused wealthy elites of shielding corrupt officials, and Ravatomanga’s name became a recurring target during rallies. “Before, people were afraid to speak his name,” said a call-center worker in Antananarivo. “Now, we talk about him openly.”

Madagascar junta strips Rajoelina’s citizenship

The turmoil culminated in a military takeover on Oct. 14 that ousted President Rajoelina. Soldiers surrounded Sodiat’s offices in the capital as the new junta moved swiftly to dismantle the old power networks. On Friday, the new administration went a step further, issuing a decree stripping Rajoelina of his Malagasy nationality on the grounds that he acquired French citizenship in 2014—a move that legally disqualifies him from holding public office.

The decree was signed by newly appointed Prime Minister Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo and comes just days after Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as interim president. While Madagascar’s political transition remains uncertain, Ravatomanga’s arrest in Mauritius underscores the deepening fallout from a crisis that has blurred the lines between business and politics in one of Africa’s poorest island nations.