Mauritius charges SA millionaire with manslaughter

13 September 2015 - 02:00 By PERICLES ANETOS

Mauritian authorities have finally charged South African businessman Peter Wayne Roberts in connection with the death of his girlfriend, Lee-Ann Palmarozza, on December 29 last year. The Johannesburg businessman was charged with manslaughter this week after spending nine months in custody on a provisional charge of murder.story_article_left1He was previously denied bail as he was deemed a flight risk.Palmarozza, 35, the mother of a eight-year-old girl, was found dead in the swimming pool of Roberts's luxury villa at the five-star Anahita resort a few days after joining Roberts on holiday.Mauritian prosecutors have confirmed that the manslaughter charge will be formalised when Roberts next appears in court.Ashley Victor, a spokesman for the Mauritian prosecuting authority, said the investigation had taken around seven months - and had been, he said, "done in a reasonable time".Nicqui Galaktiou, a lawyer acting for Roberts, said they would bring an application for a review of bail later this month.He remains in custody at the Beau Bassin Central Prison.She said police were in contempt of court for failing to hand over forensic samples to the defence for independent testing as per a Supreme Court order as of June 3...

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