AFRINIC
Who is Prabha Divanandum Chinien? The role of the Mauritius Registrar of Companies
Prabha Chinien faces scrutiny for enabling AFRINIC’s survival despite its governance collapse and dissolution demands.
Headline
Prabha Chinien faces scrutiny for enabling AFRINIC’s survival despite its governance collapse and dissolution demands.
Context
When the Prime Minister of Mauritius recently designated AFRINIC a declared compan y, he also enjoined the registrar of Companies to investigate the affairs of the company and produce a report. So who is the Mauritian Registrar of Companies, and what is her task?
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
BTW Media has written about Prabha Divanandum Chinien before – in our special report that revealed how AFRINIC executives were the likely beneficiaries of a multi-million-dollar legal contract arranged by a company called C&A Law. One of the reasons this was possible was that the former executives who had long since seen their contracts expire, were still named as directors on the Company Register for AFRINIC. The person responsible for that register is the Registrar of Companies, Prabha Divanandum Chinien, and she is the wife of the Managing Partner at C&A Law, Goinsamy Chinien. As the long-standing Registrar of Companies in Mauritius, Prabha Divanandum Chinien is responsible for overseeing the registration, compliance, and potential dissolution of all companies incorporated in the country. Appointed in 2005, she also heads the nation’s Insolvency Service, making her one of the most influential figures in determining the corporate fate of entities like AFRINIC—a registry now widely seen as having collapsed beyond repair . Chinien’s office retains legal oversight over AFRINIC’s corporate status. Yet, despite multiple court rulings, mounting evidence of governance failure, and a formal petition to dissolve AFRINIC, she has so far refused to act. Most importantly, the Registrar’s inaction has allowed several of AFRINIC’s expired directors to continue presenting themselves as official representatives of AFRINIC.
Key Points
- Prabha Chinien has served as Mauritius’ Registrar of Companies since 1989, overseeing the corporate status of AFRINIC.
- Her continued recognition of expired directors has drawn criticism amid calls for institutional accountability.
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
