NICIL audit finds no legal basis for sale of state properties

The disposal of state-owned properties by the National Industrial & Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) to third parties by way of sale or otherwise did not appear to have a legal basis, according to the forensic audit of the government holding company.

The audit, which was conducted by former long-serving Auditor-General Anand Goolsarran, also found evidence that properties were disposed of on the same day, or within days of being vested in NICIL, suggesting clearly that the purchasers had already been identified without any form of competitive bidding.

Among the properties identified as being sold without a legal basis are Duke Lodge,