Opposition Leader Among Eight Charged in Seychelles Witchcraft Case
The Magistrates’ Court in Seychelles has charged eight individuals, including Dr Patrick Herminie, the leader of United Seychelles, the main opposition party, in an ongoing witchcraft case. Alongside Dr Herminie, the accused include Alli Said, a Tanzanian national, and six Seychellois individuals. The charges range from possession of items intended for witchcraft, conspiracy to exercise witchcraft, counseling and procurement of other individuals to exercise witchcraft, to soliciting advice through witchcraft.
While seven of the accused have signed a bail bond for their release, the Tanzanian national remains in police custody. This individual was apprehended at Seychelles International Airport, where authorities discovered a number of items linked to witchcraft in their possession. These items included black wooden artifacts, stones, small brownish liquid bottles, an assortment of powders, and documents with strange language and symbols described as demonic and satanic.
The investigation into the witchcraft case began with the discovery of two dug-up corpses at the Takamaka cemetery on Mahe Island. The bodies of an elderly woman and a young man were found near a pyramid made up of blocks and pieces from other graves. Additionally, images of President Wavel Ramkalawan, Dr Patrick Herminie, and two other unnamed individuals were found at the scene. The prosecution has also noted similarities between the symbols on the documents found in the possession of the Tanzanian national and those found at vandalized locations in Seychelles, including Catholic churches.
Dr Herminie, who has expressed his intention to run for the presidential elections in 2025, claims that his arrest is politically motivated, aimed at tarnishing his reputation and that of his party. The accused will appear before the courts again on November 3 for further proceedings.
In this ongoing witchcraft case in Seychelles, the authorities are diligently investigating the connections between the accused individuals, the items found in their possession, and the desecration of graves and vandalization of locations across the country. As the case unfolds, the court will determine the truth behind the allegations and provide a fair trial to all those involved.
