Poker Party: Hard landing for Paul Foo Kune

The Police des Jeux busted an illegal poker party, in Beau-Bassin, on Tuesday evening. Following intelligence gathering, police officers raided an apartment. Police fell on a group of players, among whom was former bookmaker and horse owner Paul Foo Kune. A sum of Rs 1.5 million was seized by the police.

Ten players were arrested. Investigators believe that they might be dealing with a closed circle that plays poker regularly. Each player must pay Rs 25,000 to secure a seat at the table.

Alain Ah Fat Lam Kee Few, owner of the apartment, acknowledged that he allowed his friends to come and play in his apartment. The investigators are in the presence of information that he is the one who organized this poker game. After their arrest on Tuesday evening, the players were released by police. On Wednesday, they were brought before the Rose-Hill Court. A provisional charge of operating a business without license was retained against them.

Paul Foo Kune and the nine people were given bail set at Rs 10,000 and had to sign a debt commitment of Rs 100,000. A ban on leaving the country also weighs on them. The suspects are represented by Counsel Yash Bhadain and Senior Counsel Gavin Glover. Speaking to the press on Wednesday at the Rose Hill Court, counsel Yash Bhadain stated that these “friends” were only playing cards.

“They met at a friend’s house and they were playing poker. All of a sudden, the police broke in and they were arrested. We objected to a Prohibition Order against them,” the lawyer said. A provisional charge of “carrying on activities without licence” was retained against the gamblers.

The ten persons arrested are:

1. John Fon Sing
2. James Fon Sing
3. Jean Li Wan Po
4. Roupesh Hematpal
5. Alain Ah Fat Lam KeeFew
6. Andrew Sin Yen Fat
7. Noel Li Hung Chung How
8. Youk Shin Lim Von Kew
9. Bernard Lan
10. Paul Foo Kune