PUBLIC INQUIRY, WHAT NEXT JUDGE RILEY?

PUBLIC INQUIRY, WHAT NEXT JUDGE RILEY?

News that President Michel has taken the extraordinary step to appoint Judge Riley to conduct an inquiry into the incident of October 3rd has been welcomed by most, if not everybody, here. However, there is more than meets the eye and a little digging here and there will definitely unearth a catalogue of suspicious incidents, accidents and unlawful killings in Seychelles. Judge Riley is thus being asked by many to extend his stay in our beautiful hospitable country and for President Michel to enlarge his terms of reference calling upon him to inquire a little closer to home. The series of extra judicial killings which have taken place in our part of the world has clearly and inevitably cast a dark shadow over our beautiful Country and merit many public inquiries.

For instance, recently the body of a young man was found beneath the sea with an engine block apparently tied around his neck to guarantee that the body does not surface at all and to eliminate buoyancy, in what appears to be clearly the work of a professional and trained killer. All indications are that the young man died in very mysterious circumstances and fingers have begun to point towards certain well connected people in society as the culprit. Eye witnesses have gone as far as to suggest that the dead body clearly showed signs that the young man had been brutally tortured and had his scrotum viciously removed. Deep abrasions were also seen in his anus suggesting that a blunt object was used to penetrate his anal passage in an attempt to inflict the most severe pain and discomfort possible. Whoever is responsible for this appalling act of savagery, monstrosity and brutality has, like many other mysterious deaths in Seychelles, not been apprehended. The Commissioner of police is yet to inform the public whether there is an ongoing criminal investigation or whether this case has been shelved as yet another unsolved murder.

Not too long ago the dead body of a young girl was also discovered in a house at Mont Fleuri. Although a man was arrested and detained by the police, he was later released with no criminal charges filed against him. It is rumoured that this particular person is well connected and has powerful and influential friends. This murder has also not been solved and the police are yet to inform the public of the status of this case.

A few months ago the government admitted in Court that a young unarmed man was shot and killed by the police at Sans Soucis without legal justification. The government admitted liability and the Court promptly awarded his family and relatives Rs.75, 000 damages. The question which remains unanswered is this: Is the life of a young Seychellois man worth only Rs.75, 000? Why was Lousteau-Lalanne awarded Rs. 450,000 as damages for defamation of character by the same judge? What would have happened if the young man had been killed by a person other than an agent or employee of the government? Would that person be ordered to pay Rs.75, 000 as well? Until today the police officer who committed this heinous crime has not been brought to justice and he remains at large to the disappointment and disillusionment of the deceased’s family.

Not too long ago the body of yet another young man was found dead under a bridge in Praslin in what appears to be very suspicious circumstances. Again nobody has been arrested and all indications are that this incident will go down as yet another unsolved murder in paradise. Ricky Hermitte is also another example. The list goes on and on, and one wonders if it might not be prudent to give Judge Riley permanent resident status in Seychelles for him to investigate and conduct public inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of many young Seychellois who have lost their lives prematurely in their prime.