STATE SECURITY, GUNS AND PUBLIC SAFETY

Clifford Cupidon

Two weeks ago the now very erratic ‘Seychelles Independent’ wrote on its front page about an incident which happened on Saturday, 11th August, at Anse Aux Pins, involving a personnel of the State House Security Unit, Clifford Cupidon and the Editor of this newspaper, Ralph Volcere.

The Independent as usual fabricated most of what was written with the sole aim of making the political opponents of this Administration look bad. This exercise is all but futile now that the general public understands exactly the nature of the game Percy Ah-Mane is involved in. The attack on Ralph Volcere at Anse Aux Pins on Saturday 11th August, 2007, was a serious violation on his constitutional rights to move about freely and unobstructed in public places. Clifford Cupidon attacked Volcere punching him twice in the face without any provocation whatsoever.

Cupidon who was drunk at the time had observed Volcere from his own house going into Mr. & Mrs Charlette home. After a while he was seen outside Mr. & Mrs. Charlette house listening to what was being said. When he was spotted he ran back to his house and later came back to confront Volcere who was standing in an alleyway alongside the Charlette’s house. Clifford Cupidon punched Volcere twice in the face and then ran back to his house. The police was called and Volcere departed the scene with the police officers to file a complaint against Cupidon at the Anse Aux Pins Police Station. Whilst at the Police Station, Cupidon turned up and offered to give a statement to the police. “My boss has sent me in to give a statement”, he said. The police turned him away on the basis that he was drunk. He was asked to come back the next day.

On his way back Cupidon got involved in another argument and wanted to fight with people at his uncle’s house; he fell over and injured himself. It is alleged that Cupidon fired shots in the air and threatened that he would gun them down  and that he can kill  people because he is a Staff Sergeant within the Seychelles People’ Defence Forces. This is the measure of the situation in Seychelles today. This Government has issued guns to reckless, undisciplined individuals who have no control over their emotions when drunk. We are not safe in this country anymore because of the thoughtless judgment of this Government.

The State House Security Unit (SHSU) is only a bunch of useless spies. This organisation must be closed down and personnel within it sent back into the army for training in discipline and responsibility, their guns must be taken away from them. They are a danger to society! They should not be exempted from criminal prosecution for crime committed against the people. Clifford Cupidon assaulted Mrs. Charlette (nee Baltide) in May this year. The matter is still in the hands of the police. Mrs. Charlette is still waiting for justice for the injuries and humiliation she sustained as a result of the attack on her by Clifford Cupidon, well known SHSU personnel.       

August 31, 2007
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles