VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Supreme Court began hearing two separate murder cases this week, with the trial of a 17-year-old accused of the December 7, 2023 killing of Cliff Pillay at North East Point starting on Monday with jury selection, and a second matter involving the daughter of a late National Assembly member also being called before the bench.
Nine jurors, eight female and one male, were selected to determine whether the teenager is innocent or guilty, and the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge against him at the opening of the case before presiding Judge David Esparon. The trial continued with the prosecution opening address. The North East Point killing, which occurred at a playing field, shocked the community and drew widespread public attention in the days after the event.
In the second case, Rosie Bistoquet, the 26-year-old daughter of the late proportional National Assembly member, was formally charged on Tuesday before Chief Justice Ronny Govinden. The Seychelles Police announced on Friday December 15, 2023 that they are investigating the death of Mrs Bistoquet, who was found unresponsive by police officers on December 14. A family member had raised the alarm regarding Mrs Bistoquet state at the Anse Aux Pins police station.
She will remain in remand custody until February 9, when she is due back in court. As ordered by the Chief Justice, she will be remanded at the Montagne Posée remand centre and not the Takamaka police station, despite the request of Legal Counsel Basil Hoareau, who asked that she remain at Takamaka. The remand arrangement has been a point of contention in the early hearings of the case.
A third case also came before the courts, involving a 74-year-old Vietnamese man suspected of murdering a 55-year-old Myanmar man on board a fishing vessel in Seychelles waters. According to the initial police report, the two were involved in an altercation during the early hours of December 13, 2023. The Vietnamese suspect allegedly injured the victim with an object, resulting in his death.
Both suspects in the fishing vessel case had initially appeared in court on December 19 and were remanded until January 8, 2024, and Judge Melchior Vidot handled the weekend and public holiday remand hearings.
