Family in mourning after SA woman is murdered in Mauritius

16 August 2017 - 10:42 By Nico Gous
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Lara Rijs
Lara Rijs
Image: Supplied

The family of a South African woman who was murdered in Mauritius said they learnt with “great sorrow” of her death.

Family spokesperson Laurent Potage said in a statement that Lara Rijs was 34 years old and held South African and Dutch citizenship.

"It is with great sorrow that we‚ the members of Lara Rijs’ family have learnt of her passing‚" Potage said.

"We remain available to the Mauritian authorities to help in the investigations. We however appeal to the media to please respect our privacy and our silence in this moment of grief."

Rijs arrived in Mauritius three months ago where she worked as a manager in Port Louis at the Geneva Management Group global financial services.

According to Rijs’s LinkedIn profile she studied at Rhodes University‚ Unisa and the Edinburgh Business School.

She worked at Standard Bank and Absa from January 2005 until December 2007 before moving to Geneva‚ Switzerland‚ in January 2008.

A security guard has been arrested in connection with Rijs's murder.

Mauritian police spokesman Inspector Shiva Coothen said Sahib Meerhossen was arrested after Rijs’s body was found in a pool of blood on Monday afternoon. Coothen said Meerhossen apparently accompanied Rijs to her bungalow. There was no break-in at the unit‚ in AO Résidence de Luxe in Grand Baie.

On Tuesday‚ GMG CE Dave Elzas said the company was "distraught and deeply saddened" at the news of Rijs's death. "We extend our most sincere condolences to her family and will make every assistance available to them at this difficult time."

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