Unidentified skull and samples for DNA tests leave for examination abroad |23 May 2015

The police have confirmed that the unidentified skull and samples for DNA tests taken from three families of missing individuals will leave this weekend for forensic examination at a laboratory in Mauritius.

A senior police officer is accompanying the skull and sample overseas for the analysis.

Reginald Elizabeth, the assistant police commissioner for policing in charge of the investigation into the case of the unidentified confirmed adult male skull found in the grounds of a new hotel at Bel Ombre recently, said yesterday that the CID is making progress in its investigation.

“Since the police moved in on the scene last Saturday, the landscaping workers concerned have been questioned and information gathered is helping with the investigation,” Mr Elizabeth said.
He confirmed that the police have in their possession five empty bullet casings found on the scene but until confirmation from a ballistic expert, the police are in no position to establish neither their origin nor when they were fired.

The empty casings will also be sent abroad for ballistic analysis, Mr Elizabeth said.

Mr Elizabeth also confirmed that the results of the DNA tests are expected in one or two months while results of the forensic pathology analysis on the skull are expected to take a week or more.

Mr Elizabeth stressed that the police are determined to bring as much transparency in the case and have set up a small taskforce committee with senior CID officers to determine if there has been any foul play, natural death or possible suicide which may have caused the death of the individual.

Meanwhile Mr Elizabeth pointed out that the skull itself is not whole but is broken in three large pieces and four smaller pieces.

“But from my own experience after examining the skull visually, I did not see any hole which could have been made by a bullet,” Mr Elizabeth said.
Mr Elizabeth said the police will keep the public informed as and when more information on the case becomes available.