The Court of Appeal has deplored the acts of police officers who shot and killed a young man, Robin Henriette, at Morne Blanc sometimes in 2006. Henriette, who was a self-employed farmer at the time of his death, was only 25 years old when he was brutally gunned down in cold blood in broad daylight by police officers.
Henriette who was living in concubinage with one Harianna Labrosse for 8 years, had two minor children. The Court of Appeal stated:-
“Before we end we wish to express our deep concern that Jourdan Robin Henriette was shot by Police Officers and left suffering and bleeding on the ground for more than an hour. A vehicle arrived and was parked within site, 75 metres away with a Doctor and his assistant nurse. They did not intervene timely as they should have in an emergency and this for some unexplained reason. Had the victim been treated in time or taken to the nearest health centre he may have survived. When he was driven away, it was obviously too late. The right to life is the most important of our constitutional rights! Mr. Govinden has informed the Court that an inquiry has been carried out but due to a “technical” difficulty, it has been decided not to proceed with any prosecution”.
Until today Robin Henriette’s killers have not been brought to justice although they are known police officers. The perpetrators are still working for the Seychelles Police Force in the employ of the Government of Seychelles. The Prosecution explained that the reason the culprits have not been prosecuted is a mere “technicality”. They claimed that according to forensic test carried out by experts in Seychelles, the test proves that the bullet which killed Henriette came from an AK 47. However, when a second test was carried out in Mauritius, the result was that the bullet had come from a pistol instead. The police officers carried both types of weapons. Because of the conflicting expert evidence, the Attorney General, Anthony Tissa Fernando, has decided not to bring any prosecution against either police officers for any offence.
However, referring to the case of Gaetan Didon and others, where police officers cut off a man’s private parts and left him for dead, the Court commented thus:-
“Gaetan Didon and two ors (SCA No. 8 of 2006), was a claim for compensation against Police Officers who had assaulted and wounded a man whom they left for dead. They had been prosecuted and were serving a sentence. Justice was not only done but seen to have been done.”
Robin Henriette’s family has expressed their hopes that one day justice will also be done for Robin Henriette as well.