MAURITIAN SINGER DIED FROM HEAD INJURY IN CUSTODY

PORT LOUIS, - Mauritian reggae singer Joseph Topize, or "Kaya", whose death
in police custody last month sparked four days of riots, died from a head
injury and bleeding, and not
natural causes, a post mortem showed.

Kaya's died on February 21 after he was arrested for smoking
marijuana. His death provoked riots on the Indian Ocean island
between the Creole community and police and later involved members of
the majority Hindu population.

The report of the post mortem carried out by French doctor Jean-Paul
Ramstein and obtained by Reuters on Wednesday said Kaya's death was
due to a "cranial trauma leading to bleeding on the brain".

"The victim was thrown violently with the head facing the ground... We
noted various traces of blows to the knees, shoulders and elbows by a
blunt instrument," the report added.

Rama Valayden, a lawyer and leader of a small opposition party, the
Republican Movement (MR), called for the arrest of all police officers
on duty at the time of Kaya's death and an independent inquiry.

"The report confirms our suspicions that violence was used against the
singer and his death was not natural," he said.

Three demonstrators, including another reggae singer, were killed in
the riots.