DOWN MEMORY LANE
The Guy Pool trial
GUY POOL GUILTY
The judgment and sentence were passed by Chief Justice Sir George Souyave who said that the offence was a serious one which carries the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
He said that over the past two years there had been about five cases of bomb explosions in Seychelles and this was the first case in which there had been evidence to bring the offender to court.
The explosion cause considerable damage to the hotel, His Lordship said, but unfortunately there was no injury to persons.
Sir George said that acts of violence of this nature must stop. The only mitigating factor he could find, he said, was the fact that the accused had been persuaded by others to commit the act. But on the other hand, although he was only 23 years old, the accused fully realised and accepted his responsibility.
The Chief Justice said that he was taking into consideration neither the three previous convictions which Pool had nor the malicious aspersions which had been cast at the police during the trial. He commended Superintendent David Ashford , Sergeant Dominic Wen Yam and Woman Police Constable Stravens for the restraint they showed at the malicious aspersions cast at them during the case.
The Attorney General J. A. O’Brien Quinn, Mr. G. Grimmett and Mr. B. Rassool appeared for the Crown while Mr. R. Valabhji appeared for Guy Pool
Q. You admit Mr. Leckey and Mr. Greatley saw you?
A. Yes.
Q. You admit you discussed all the bombs which exploded in Seychelles in recent dates?
A. Yes.
Q. You admit you discussed SPUP generally?
A. Yes.
Q. But you deny having said anything incriminating yourself?
A. I did not incriminate myself in any way. I gave my opinion as to who may have caused the explosions, as to why they could have been caused.
Q. You were at one time publicity secretary to SPUP?
A. Yes.
Q. You were President of SPUP controlled Youth League?
A. Yes.
Q. And you are a man who in the past had the confidence of Mr. Rene?
A. In the past I was very friendly with him and was working with same party as he.
Q. Would you tell the court where you went in August, 1968?
Mr. Valabhji: Question not relevant.
A. If I remember correctly I went on a trip to East Africa. I spent some time in Mombassa and sometime in Dar-Es-Salaam.
Q. Did you visit Frelimo camp?
A. No I did not.
Q. That is a camp organised for training of terrorists?
A. I would not know.
Q. You were away from Seychelles for 3 months on that occasion?
A. I can’t remember the exact length of time, it could have been 3 months.
Q. You admit everything except that you attended Frelimo camp and you went on a training of terrorists?
A. I admitted I spent some time in Mombassa, some time in Dar-Es-Salaam and it could have been 3 months the length of time I was away.
Q. What you were doing in those 3 months in East Africa?
Mr. Valabhji: I object.
Asst. A.G.: It goes to credibility. I have proof in print with me. It would show that he is a man of poor character and not to be believed.
A. I was having a holiday for the simple reason that over here I was having problems with the people who are now my in-laws.
Q. Was accused present when Exhibit P was filled up?
A. Yes. He was in my office while I filled it in. I signed and gave it to him. It is in my handwriting.
Q. Why did you write it?
A. Because I write much quicker than he (accused).
Q. Will you read slowly to the court this marginal note?
A. “The whole of the declaration and marginal particulars should be in the applicant’s own handwriting”.
Q. Are you the applicant?
A. No.
Q. The applicant was Mr. Pool?
A. Yes.
Q. Why did you make that form and not Mr. Pool?
A. As I said I write quicker than Mr. Pool and when I fill in forms like this one I normally fill in the whole form.
Q. When you had last seen accused write anything?
A. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him writing anything. I’ve seen specimens of his handwriting in reports that he sent to me.
Q. If you had never seen him write what made you think you could write quicker than he?
A. With my standard of education and his standard of education it’s not the same.
Q. You signed the form Exhibit P to verify the declaration made by Mr. Pool?
A. Yes before I can fill in the form I have ask him the questions, he answers and I write them down.
Q. Did he tell you he was born on 31st June, 1949?
A. This must have been my mistake.
Q. If he were not there, there would be no one to tell you that you’d made the mistake?
A. The mistake is on the right hand column. I asked him the question and filled up the form and used the same answers to fill in the right hand.
Q. The date of birth is something which the individual himself would know instantly?
A. I suppose if he know his date of birth he should know.
Q. The form shows quite clearly the persons who are allowed to verify the declaration?
A. Yes.
Q. You know to be a British Subject, you are and you qualify under the first leg?
A. Yes.
Q. Under which description of the 2nd leg do you fall?
A. Member of the Legislative Assembly. I was a member of council before the last constitution.
Q. On what date did you put 16.5.72?
A. Must have been the same date, the date I filled that form. If I had not seen that form I would not have been able to recall off hand when I signed it.
Q. If without showing you a form I had said “did you make out this form in July or August” you would have had no reason to disbelieve me?
A. No. If it was as recent as that I might have remembered.
Q. You say the accused was present when you filled in this form and he gave you the necessary information?
A. As far as I remembered he was in my office.
Q. You say “so far as you remember” could he not have been in the office?
A. I’m almost positive he was in my office.
Q. If he hadn’t been there would you have had any means of getting information?
A. No unless I would have gone to the trouble of coming to the Registry, Civil Status.
Q. You are the personnel manager of Reef Hotel and he was an employee there?
A. Yes.
Q. Reef Hotel keep no records of their employee?
A. We have records of employees who have joined since I’ve been there. When I joined there were no records of the employees at that time.
Q. Surely records such as this have to be kept for N.P.F.?
A. I suppose as long as they have their N.P.F. numbers they don’t keep any other record.
Q. I put it to you that this form was not completed on 16th May, 1972?
A. I completed the form on the date which is on the form. I don’t see any other reason why I should have put a different date.
Q. Can you offer any explanation if this form had been completed on 16th May 1972 why accused should get another form in July?
A. That’s his business. I have no idea why he got it.
Q. I put it to you that this form was completed either late July or August this year?
A. Not this one.
Q. I put it to you that accused was not present when you completed it?
A. He was in my office when I filled in the form. I said I’m pretty sure he was.
Q. I put it to you that because he was not present that the error of his birth date was not noticed?
A. All I know is that I filled in the form and gave it to him. What he did with it I don’t know. I don’t know why he or I did not notice the error.
Rxn
Q. When did you leave the SPUP?
A.G.: Does not arise from xxtion.
Q. Are still a member of SPUP?
A. No I left in December, 1970.
No further questions.
Witness released.
D.W. 15 Mrs. Sylvette Frichot (sworn)
Mrs. Sylvette Frichot of La Louise, Secretary. I work in the SPUP office.
I remember Sunday 13th February, 1972. I went to a Party at Chez Nous which I had organised for the arrival of Mr. Sinon and Mr. Servina from overseas. We do not have parties for officials all the time.
The party was fixed to start at 7.30 at Chez Nous, Pointe Larue. I and Mr. Loizeau decided on the guests for the party and then we went to consult Mr. Rene. The party was planned a few days before. We did not send out invitations, we contacted the guests by ‘phone personally.
On that day there was a meeting at Gordon Square organised by SPUP. I went to listen to the meeting. After the meeting I went home at La Louise and from La Louise I got dressed and then I went to that Party at Chez Nous. I got there just after 7.30. I was a bit late. There were some guests already there i.e. Mr. & Mrs. Wills Figaro, Mr. & Mrs. Georges Wong and Mr. Rene, Mr. Samuel Charlette and one or 2 others.
There was no sitting plan for the guests. They came in and chose their own places. The party ended about 9 p.m. After the party there was a public dance. There was a band for the dance.
Most of the guests stayed for the dance. Mr. Albert Rene stayed.
I left about 12.30 when I left Mr. Rene was there in the hall. While I was there, he was always there in the hall. He was there talking to groups of people and I was sitting at a table next to him for the party and for the dance. I did not dance. Mr. Rene could have gone to the toilet. He would not have gone for more than 10 minutes without me noticing him.
For the party he was sitting at a table with Mr. & Mrs. Sinon. Mr. & Mrs. Servina and Mr. & Mrs. Antoine Maness. I was sitting with Mr. Figaro and his wife, Mr. Esme Jemeau, Mr. Samuel Charlette and Miss Jeanine Zab.
Q. Was it a good party?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you have a pleasant time?
A. Yes.
Q. Would you agree that time can pass very quickly when you are enjoying yourself?
A. Yes.
Q. On such occasion one may think only a few minutes have gone by when a considerable length of time has gone by?
A. No 5 minutes can’t pass as 2 minutes. It still remains the same.
Q. It’s true that when one is enjoying one self time passes very quickly and one is surprised how quick the time has passed?
A. You could be sitting and then say “oh 5 minutes has gone”.
Q. Would you agree that if you are enjoying yourself you don’t look at your watch constantly?
A. By enjoying myself it does not mean that I was not watching what was going on.
Q. You said Mr. Rene was not out of the hall for more than 10 minutes at any one time?
A. He did not disappear from my sight for more than 10 minutes. I did not say that he went out of the hall. I did not see him going out of the hall.
Q. If you were enjoying yourself these lengths of time could have been more than 10 mins?
A. By enjoying myself I meant having a drink and talking to the person near me but it does not mean losing sight of the hall.
Q. When you were there that night you did not know you would be called to give evidence that night?
A. No.
Q. Did you have any special reason to take any special note of what was happening?
A. No.
Q. Is it true that you rely on S.P.U.P. organisation to provide your monthly salary?
A. It’s not S.P.U.P. who pays me. I’m paid from the staff fund contributed by S.P.U.P., the Unions, Mr. Rene and Mr. Sinon.
Q. Do you feel a loyalty to these people?
A. Yes. The are by boss.
Q. You are a staunch supporter of S.P.U.P.?
A. I support S.P.U.P. Yes. I am a strong supporter.
Q. At one time you were treasurers of S.P.U.P. Women’s League?
A. I was a committee member and then I became the Chairman. I am now the Chairman.
Q. Your husband’s name is Jules?
A. No he is Georges Frichot.
Q. What was your name before you married?
A. Sylvette Pool.
Q. How many guests were at the party that evening?
A. 30.
Q. How many did you invite?
A. About 35, not everybody came.
Q. After 9 p.m. the numbers were increased as the members of the public came in to dance?
A. Yes.
Q. Good crowd?
A. At half past ten there were about 150, when I left there were about 250. I was moving around talking to some people after 9 when the people came in to dance and I did not notice the number then.
Q. What happened at the party?
A. We had drinks and eats. We had staff of Chez Nous bring us plates of food and we took as we wanted.
Q. There was no sitting down to a formal meal?
A. We sat down and the staff came with the trays. We were not obliged to take what we did not wish. I didn’t like cashew nuts and I took something else. I could leave my place and go around and chat. I had to go round the hall to go to the toilet.
Q. There would not have been anything unusual if anyone had left the hall?
A. If he had his reasons to leave I would not know.
Q. People were sitting, getting up and moving round generally?
A. It was not a party where we had to stick to a table.