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Seychelles drops witchcraft charges against opposition’s Patrick Herminie

Seychelles’ main opposition leader Patrick Herminie is no longer facing witchcraft charges after prosecutors dropped the case against him.

He had always denied the accusations and speaking outside court on Thursday described them as “malicious action”.

The police had said the case related to the discovery of two bodies exhumed from a cemetery on the island of Mahé.

Mr Herminie plans to run in the 2025 presidential election under the banner of the United Seychelles Party.

He called the case an “abuse of power” by President Wavel Ramkalawan, the AFP news agency quotes him as saying.

“We do not have the right to arrest someone and put them in prison for nothing at all,” he said.

The president has not commented on the case.

Mr Herminie served as the Speaker of Seychelles’ parliament between 2007 and 2016.

The prosecutor told a magistrates’ court in the capital, Victoria, that he was withdrawing all charges against him.

No reasons were given for the decision.

Last October, Mr Herminie and six of his Seychellois co-accused were freed on bail.

They were charged with the possession of items intended for use in witchcraft, conspiracy to perform witchcraft and procuring services related to witchcraft, according to local media reports at the time.

Prosecutors originally alleged that the opposition leader’s name appeared in a WhatsApp message between a Seychellois national and a Tanzanian suspect, who was arrested last September at the main international airport.

The Tanzanian was found with items allegedly related to witchcraft, including stones, black wooden artefacts, small bottles of brownish liquid, a collection of powders and documents with strange language and “demonic and satanic” symbols, they said.

The documents were similar to those found in Catholic churches and other places that had been vandalised in Mahé, Seychelles’ largest island, prosecutors further alleged.

Along with Mr Herminie four others who were part of the original case are no longer facing charges.

A new case has been opened against the Tanzanian and two others, the Seychelles News Agency reports.

Mr Herminie told local media last year that more than 40 police officers had raided his party’s offices in Victoria.

He added that the officers searched for items related to witchcraft, including “bones, body parts, and objects associated with Christianity” but did not find any.

“In Seychelles’ history, there has never been until now, a political party leader arrested for superstition and witchcraft. This is something new and it is shameful for Seychelles,” he was quoted as saying at the time.

 

Source: bbc.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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