Domestic
Colonel Patrick Rakotomamonjy: Health Controversy at Tsiafahy Prison
The health condition of Colonel Patrick Rakotomamonjy, detained at Tsiafahy prison, has become the center of a new controversy. His wife, Dr. Minohasina, spoke out in a video posted on social media to express her concerns. She states above all that she has not been allowed to visit her husband since August 23, more than two weeks ago. This lack of contact fuels her questions. Contrary to what has been reported, she does not confirm in her statement that Colonel Patrick is actually in solitary confinement. She rather advances this possibility to explain why she can no longer see him. An important distinction in a case where contradictory information is multiplying. Her main concern is her husband's health. According to her statements, the officer suffers from back and chest pain and also experiences breathing difficulties. She fears his condition may worsen and is requesting his transfer to Soavinandriana Military Hospital so he can receive appropriate examinations and care. No independent medical assessment confirming the severity of his condition has been made public. Dr. Minohasina also appeals to legal experts. She asks them to rule on the conditions of her husband's detention and whether they comply with the law and fundamental rights recognized for all incarcerated persons. For her, the inability to see her husband for several days deserves explanation. This case inevitably puts the Ministry of Justice under scrutiny. Its head, Fanirisoa Ernaivo, is particularly targeted in comments surrounding the case, even though Patrick Rakotomamonjy's wife does not directly name her in her video. She refers instead to a senior ministry official. The reversal of circumstances is particularly striking given that Fanirisoa Ernaivo and Patrick Rakotomamonjy were once in the same opposition camp. The Malagasy press recalls they were companions in struggle on social media against the former regime, particularly against the influence of Mamy Ravatomanga. In May 2025, the colonel's wife was herself placed in preventive detention at Antanimora in a case involving her husband. Since the change of power, the situation has completely reversed. Patrick Rakotomamonjy, who held the position of director of the Bureau of Grievances to the Presidency of Refoundation, is now detained at Tsiafahy. In April, Fanirisoa Ernaivo publicly discussed several cases in which the officer was accused and justified his detention citing flight risks. His supporters present him as a patriotic officer committed to fighting corruption and opposed to certain practices of foreign economic operators. They suspect behind his legal troubles a desire to remove him after his public positions. This theory remains, at this stage, a political accusation that has not been established by the courts. In the midst of these confrontations, one question remains open: what is Colonel Patrick Rakotomamonjy's real state of health? His wife is now demanding answers, access to care, and clarification on his actual detention conditions.
Source: Madagascar Tribune