Adnan Kashoggi speaks out

Kashoggi speaks outSAUDI billionaire, friend of ex-President Mancham, whose land at Bel Ombre was arbitrarily seized after the SPPF took over in the  1977 coup, has emerged from the shadows and lashed out at his nephew, Dodi Fayed, who was killed in a car crash with Princess Diana in 1997 in Paris.

Kashoggi has said that his nephew's brief two-month affair with Princess Diana was merely a fling.  He believes Dodi's father encouraged the affair because he was keen to establish himself with the British royal family. “It appears he pushed his son into this situation," says Kashoggi. “I think it was a sad decision, but he did."

Kashoggi believes that Mohamed Al Fayed must, in part, hold himself responsible for his son's death. He continues that it is guilt that has driven Dodi's father to cling to the conspiracy theory. “I came to the conclusion that it was an accident."

Last month an inquest who heard witnesses, but not Al Fayed, also ruled that it was an accident.

Kashoggi purchased the over 100 acres, almost half of which is beachfront, at Belombre in 1975. The land was acquired without compensation in 1978 on the grounds that it was undeveloped.

The mountain side of the property has since been allocated to cronies of the SPPF regime, including even former Chief Justice Alleear, for building apartments assisted by the Seychelles Development Bank.  Alleear later cashed in on what was given to him on a platter. But others are still reaping rich dividends from ill-gotten properties.

As for the beachfront part, despite a promise to return the land to its owner, Government has a few years ago transferred it to two expatriate employees of the former SMB and subsequently transferred to an obscure company registered in the Virgin Islands, an apparent move by some to shield their shady deals. It will probably soon join other prime properties sold to foreign investors for tourism development.

May 30, 2008
Copyright 2007: Seychelles Weekly, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles