Police brutality has long been a quandary here in Seychelles. Over the years, the people in charge of enforcing law and order in the community have allowed a certain amount of force to come into play, used mainly as a deterrent rather than the preferred tool to deal with criminality. It is clear now that certain individuals within the police force finds it extremely difficult to identify where the line should be drawn in using a slap around the head to get the suspect into co-operating.
This week alone this newspaper received at its office not less than five individuals complaining about police brutality over the weekend and in the recent weeks. Two Fridays’ ago a 27 year old, Alex Moses, from Anse Aux Pins was picked up from his home and taken to the Central Police Station in
In another incident, this time at Port Launay, a young man was also taken from his house at around 9.30 pm by police officers and taken to the Anse Boileau Police Station. On reaching Anse Boileau, the lady who had made the complaint told the police that they had the wrong man. The Police Officers, without any consideration for the distance the young man would have had to travel back to his house or the time of the night it was, by then it was almost 11.30 pm, told him that he could go on home. The young man protested that they could at least organise transport for him – he had made the mistake of his life. The slaps came “thick and fast”; the young man was beaten up, “black and blue” the marks on his body were still visible when he visited our office this week.
It is paramount for the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gerard Waye-Hive, to assume full responsibility to deal with this kind of behaviour coming from his officers. The Police Force must operate under clear guidelines and within the ambit of the law. The Constitutional Rights of the Citizens must be respected at all times and the slap must be reserved for those that really ask for it and in situations that warrant it!