A first-class senior constable was stabbed to death by a soldier from the Imerintsiatosika Heavy Artillery Regiment on Saturday at 1:30 a.m.
MURDER. First class senior gendarme Jimmy Tsiasanda Ratsimandresy was stabbed by a second class soldier from the Heavy Artillery Regiment (RAL) on Saturday at 1:30 a.m. in Ambohitrantenaina-Imerintsiatosika. He did not survive his injuries.
The evening before, a ball was organized at the family of the gendarme on the occasion of an exhumation and the inauguration of the new tomb. The warrant officer on duty at the road police brigade (BPR) in Toamasina was granted a fortnight’s leave, from August 13 to 27, to attend. Four RAL soldiers came to the well-watered party which happened near their camp.
Under the influence of alcohol, they approached and courted two girls, members of the organizing family. They pushed them away. One of them then pulled out a dagger to intimidate the ladies. Their panicked eyes fixed on the bladed weapon, they cried out for help.
Last breath
Having heard the cries for help, the sergeant intervened. He tried to grab the knife to put it away. The worst then happened: the soldier turned to him and stabbed him three times, the first time on his stomach, the second and the last on his left ribs. In the melee, the aggressor and his sidekick were overpowered and arrested by the fokonolona. The other two ducked into the dark to escape being lynched.
Informed by the head of the fokontany, five gendarmes led by the local brigade commander rushed to the scene to intervene and draw up the report. They evacuated their injured colleague to the Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona (HJRA) hospital, but he breathed his last there. His superiors, the RAL commander and the Arivonimamo prosecutor were informed of the facts. Gendarmes from Toamasina traveled to Antananarivo to take care of the funeral.
The two captives have been held in custody for their safety and the needs of the investigation. They face a heavy sentence and dismissal, according to a brief unofficial explanation. The murder weapon was seized and sealed.
