Watch out for Franklin, the boss of Black River
Jean Hubert Celerine, now known to most Mauritians as Franklin, has been in the news in no time. Especially after the press conference he gave to journalists on Saturday, January 14, 2023, he benefits from this attention. Who is Franklin, whom some call the boss of Rivière-Noire? Answers.
The luxury home he dreams of
La Gaulette, Rivière-Noire, not far from Royal Road, can be seen a large and luxurious two-storey house with cut stone cladding. It has a terrace covered with a blue sheet metal roof. The windows all have shutters. I can’t tell what’s going on inside.
Carefully barricaded, this house is full of surveillance cameras. Locals say it was occupied by Franklin. “Dan sa kartie la, sa mem pli zoli lakaz ki ena. Find tou seki pase lor lamer or laban,” said a local fisherman.
Franklin claims he doesn’t own this house, at least not yet. He admits that he has started the procedures to buy it. “Ann lakaz mo pena lor mo nom mwa. Aster la ki mo pe fer demars pou aste sa lakaz la. Possessive la deza ena enn ‘loan’ or la. Li our eklairsi such loan 4 million Rs. Lerla mo pou kapav aste li. Monn fer enn papie ant li ek mwa ki dir ki mo pou aste lakaz la,” he explains.
His favorite car
The Range Rover used by Franklin is registered 1867 FB 19 JP Carmax. It is a specialized company that acts as a consultant in the automotive field. It operates by offering car rental services, finding vehicles for events and selling used cars. In one of the Belle-Rose-based company’s Range Rovers, Savannah’s Drug and Anti-Smuggling Office arrested Franklin in August 2022, according to the squad’s report. Rs 525,000 cash was also seized from Franklin in the same vehicle.
The meteoric rise of a humble child
The legacy and activities of entrepreneur Jean Hubert Celerine, nicknamed Franklin, are in the spotlight. Among his properties is a luxury villa with sea views in the Rivière-Noire complex. Currently, he says, he is finalizing the purchase of a magnificent free-standing stone house surrounded by an electric fence in La Gaulette.
The 32-year-old businessman is the head of several companies. It owns a petting zoo and a car rental company on leased land in Salines de Rivière-Noire. His restaurant, located on the main road of the village, has made a name for itself after passing through several well-known faces. Local artists shot music videos here.
In an interview with Défi Media Group last Saturday, Franklin explained that he comes from a poor family in Rivière-Noire. He justifies his rise in the social ladder by emphasizing that he has worked hard since childhood, and that the help of a loved one allowed him to start a business.
His business
Franklin, who is not very eloquent about the business he runs, hinted that he owns four companies in an interview with Défi Media Group on Saturday, January 14, 2023. He had listed a restaurant, car rental, livestock and event company. Franklin defends himself that for all the activities of these companies, he is on good terms with the Mauritius Revenue Authority, who, in his own words, “pey kare kare”.
His restaurant: Ti Mimi Grill Fast Food
On the coastal road of Rivière-Noire, Franklin established a fast food restaurant specializing in kebabs, lamb burgers, beef burgers and chicken burgers, among others. Moreover, on Saturday evening, he invited journalists to give an interview.
Ti Mimi Grill opened with great fanfare on Friday, October 8, 2021. As the launch poster mentions, artists on the lookout for “met ene pretty lafaya” featured 90 Favelas, Bigg Frankii and Lyon Squad. . The organizer did not save on sound equipment and reverberation devices to celebrate this opening with dignity. Which attracted a large number of residents.
Its animal park
In Les Salines on the west coast, Franklin has owned a piece of wetland land where he has raised cattle for 13 years. “Sa terin la finn gagn bay sa. Ena tou documenti pou fer lelvaz. Tou declare MRA”, assures the relevant director.
He explains that he started his business after receiving financial help from a relative. Amount of this assistance: half a million rupees.
Défi Plus went to Les Salines, where concrete structures are being built for animal husbandry (photo). There, among other animals, oxen and ducks are fed. In this fenced area, out of sight, several metals and sheet metal are built.
His car rental business: Topfleet Car Rental Ltd
4.9 million rupees. This is the turnover of Topfleet Car Rental Ltd, Franklin’s car rental company, for the financial year ending June 2020. This amount includes 3 million manat profit.
Franklin founded this company on November 8, 2006. With 50 initial shares of Rs 5,000 each – according to the Registrar of Companies – he is himself a director of the company.
Based on the Salines Rivière-Noire coastal road, the company has several types of vehicles in its fleet. Some were obtained through bank loans closed between 2016 and 2018. The company also has four motorcycles.
His event company: Fellone CREW
High attendance nights, including those organized for Halloween, the arrival of well-known African singers… Franklin increased his presence on the event scene.
Its shadow hangs over the organization of events, some of which are sold out. He has an event company called Fellone CREW. His closeness to the 666 Armada group is no secret in the music world.
It was Franklin who was behind the arrival of the X-Man last year. He and his team were at the Plaisance airport to welcome this international artist. It was Franklin himself who opened the doors of the Range Rover, which was wanted by the drug squad, to make way for the X-Man. While driving the SUV on the road, he made a video call with Swanki of the 666 Armada to exchange a few words with the X-Man.
Franklin also organized Majid’s concert at the “Jammin” event organized by Fellone Crew. “Lorla took the port name from 7,000 to 8,000 dimonnes. Biye 1000 rupees Lee does not say donk 6.7 million rupees. Sa concert la, tou ti lor credit. Majeed graduated inn vini kan inn iron program. Lerla noun followed by so landim. Landrwa kot nounn fer concert la ousi ti lor credit. His finn tells us 10 million rupees. Nou kapav finn iron Rs 3 million Rs 4 million depan. His money earns Rs 5 crore,” explains Franklin.
His version: “Zame mo pa finn kondane pou traffic ladrog”
Franklin insists and points out: “Monn cosaverite. Monn coz fran. In a statement to Défi Plus, he maintains that the text messages he exchanged with Bruneau Laurette and reported to the police are genuine. “I met Golden Bruneau Laurette. Pedro iron repeated that mo enn trafikan. Me zame mo pa finn kondane pou ladrog traffic. Zame puts monn lipie Reunion. »
There are no properties under the name Jean Hubert Celerine
An investigation by Le Défi Plus into the registry reveals that no property, acquired or not, is registered in the name of Jean Hubert Celerine. But Franklin has nothing to his name.
He is alleged to be close to ASP Jagai
Franklin is contesting several publications targeting him on social media and the alleged collusion between him and Special Strike Group boss ASP Jagayi. Even a clip is circulating on the Internet. Ashıg Jagay also filed a complaint with the Central Criminal Investigation Department regarding defamation. He is demanding an investigation into the circulation of the nearly seven-minute long video titled “Bruneau Laurette ti pou exposes the truth lor Franklin ek Jagai”.
ASP Jagai: “Pa ti gagn nanie pandan loperation ki ti fer lor bato kot li ti ete”
In an environment close to ASP Ashik Jagai, the Special Strike Team is said to have increased operations among those close to Franklin. “Pa ti win nanie pandan operation ki finn fer lor boat kot li ti summer. Nou ti al kot so fami. Pa ti nanie won,” said ASP. Ashik Jagay adds that Jean Hubert Celerine received several tickets during the arrests related to COVID-19. “Li ti pe sorted ek ti pe gagn li an contravansion,” he says.
The authenticity of the text messages given to the police was investigated
The Major Crimes Investigation Team is leading the investigation into the text messages Franklin attributed to Bruneau Laurette in his testimony at the Central Barracks on Sunday, January 15, 2023. Earlier this week, investigators sent a pendrive to the IT department. It has already begun analyzing the contents of this USB key, which contains screenshots and other items, which it provided to the police in the presence of Jean Hubert Celerine’s lawyer, Yatin Varma. The priority for researchers is to determine the accuracy of the items presented.
In a press release Saturday evening, Franklin disclosed the compromising communications he said were exchanged between Bruneau and Laurette. In her complaint, Franklin also alleges that on various occasions Bruneau Laurette asked her for money representing Protection Money. “If mo kav earns between 75,000 and 100,000 rupees, on the 10th of every month, two months husband with you,” the activist would write to him in one of the text messages.
Around Bruneau Laurette on the allegations: “No comment”
How did Bruneau Laurette’s entourage react to Franklin’s accusations against her? “No comment. Franklin’s words do not affect Bruneau in any way,” one of Bruneau Laurette’s lawyers told Défi Plus on Thursday. In a statement last week, Mr. Shakeel Mohamed indicated that he intends to investigate the “Protection Money” claims made by Franklin. The latter claimed that Bruneau Laurette would offer him “police protection” in exchange for money.
