- Acting President Jean Yvan Robert Hungley issued a proclamation revoking Judge Bellepeau’s authority to investigate AFRINIC’s affairs.
- The revocation follows a court injunction and Bellepeau’s subsequent resignation, deepening AFRINIC’s governance and legal crisis.
The Acting President of Mauritius, Jean Yvan Robert Hungley, has formally revoked Puisne Judge Nicolas Ohsan-Bellepeau’s mandate as inspector into the affairs of AFRINIC, the African Network Information Centre, according to an official proclamation published in the Government Gazette on August 21. You can read the announcement at the bottom of this article.
The proclamation explicitly revokes Proclamation No. 10 of 2025, which had originally appointed Bellepeau to lead the inspection into AFRINIC’s finances and governance. It states that Bellepeau relinquished his mandate on August 18, prompting the Acting President to issue the revocation. This move brings to a formal close the short-lived appointment that had already been suspended by a court injunction.
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AFRINIC governance controversy
AFRINIC, which allocates IP addresses across Africa, has been mired in a governance crisis since being placed into receivership in 2023. The registry has no functioning board or CEO, and its June 2025 board elections were annulled over a proxy vote dispute. The absence of a clear leadership structure prompted the Registrar of Companies to seek an inspector, resulting in Bellepeau’s initial appointment.
However, Bellepeau’s appointment quickly came under legal challenge. On August 5, the Mauritian Supreme Court issued an emergency injunction freezing his mandate, citing questions over whether the executive had overstepped its authority under the Companies Act. The court also raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest, given Bellepeau’s prior involvement in AFRINIC-related cases.
Following the injunction, Bellepeau resigned on August 18, citing the legal impasse and challenges to his impartiality. Acting President Hungley’s proclamation now makes that resignation official and formally cancels his powers to act as inspector.
Read more: Can ICANN intervene without legal standing? Parsing the court’s criticism
AFRINIC inspires Constitutional crisis in Mauritius
The revocation underscores the deepening institutional crisis surrounding AFRINIC. With no inspector, no board, and no chief executive, the organisation remains effectively paralysed. Meanwhile, stakeholders — including major members like Cloud Innovation — have called for AFRINIC’s dissolution or external intervention. International oversight bodies such as ICANN have hinted that AFRINIC’s recognition could be reviewed if governance reforms fail.
Legal experts in Mauritius warn that the AFRINIC dispute has become a flashpoint for broader constitutional issues. The injunction and subsequent revocation highlight the judiciary’s role in checking executive actions amid concerns over the separation of powers. Political analysts also note the timing, with AFRINIC heading toward controversial elections, making AFRINIC’s governance crisis part of a wider debate over rule of law and state institutions.
Also read: AFRINIC’s independence: Why rule of law must prevail over political interference
As government, politics and even internet bodies such as ICANN attempt to intervene – some say interfere – in the events surrounding AFRINIC, their attempts to sidestep and sometimes even overrule the SUpreme Court of Mauritius is cause for concern.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to continue hearings related to AFRINIC’s receivership later this month. For now, Acting President Hungley’s revocation leaves unanswered questions about who, if anyone, will oversee the long-awaited investigation into AFRINIC’s affairs.
With the organisation’s future hanging in the balance, all eyes are on Mauritius’ courts and political leadership to resolve a crisis with significant implications for Africa’s internet governance.
