In a significant turn of events, prosecutors in Seychelles have decided to abandon witchcraft charges against Patrick Herminie, the leader of the United Seychelles party and a prominent figure in the opposition.
Herminie, a former speaker of parliament who intends to run in the 2025 presidential election, consistently asserted that the charges against him were politically motivated.
The case, involving seven other individuals, was initially brought to the Seychelles magistrates’ court last October as part of an investigation into alleged “witchcraft” and “unnatural and superstitious” activities.
Prosecutors had pointed to a WhatsApp message exchange between Herminie and a Tanzanian man, detained in September with items allegedly linked to witchcraft, as evidence.
These items included black wooden artifacts, small bottles of brownish liquid, and documents featuring language and symbols described as satanic.
However, during the court session on Thursday, the prosecutor surprised observers by announcing the withdrawal of all charges against Patrick Herminie and four other defendants.
Herminie, speaking to reporters outside the court, claimed that the evidence in his possession demonstrated the lack of a case against him. He characterized the entire affair as a “malicious action” and an “abuse of power” by President Wavel Ramkalawan.
The opposition leader emphasized that individuals should not be arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned without cause. Meanwhile, charges against the remaining three suspects, including the Tanzanian man, will persist.
The case is intertwined with an investigation into the discovery of dug-up bodies in a Mahe cemetery in August and alleged vandalism in Seychelles, with symbols on the documents resembling those found in desecrated locations, including Catholic churches.