VICTORIA, Seychelles Four witnesses testified yesterday before the Commission of Inquiry into the Montagne Posée prison events of December 5, 2024, providing conflicting accounts of the fatal incident. Agnes Roseline and Dina Mathiot testified together, while Stephan Mondon and Nadia Ak-Kong gave their testimonies individually.
The prison riot inquiry examines the circumstances surrounding the deaths of remand prisoners during unrest at the Montagne Posée facility. The commission is tasked with establishing facts, determining accountability, and recommending measures to prevent future incidents in Seychelles correctional facilities.
Former inmate Stephan Mondon stated that he was placed in an isolation cell early on December 5 before the incident began. He explained that a Nepalese prison officer instructed him to disembark from the bus and follow him to the reception area, where he was informed of his placement in isolation for Commissioner of Prisons Janet Georges and Inspector Ivan Nicholas to see him later. Mondon claimed he offered no resistance and remained in isolation until December 24, when he was transferred to Ile Perseverance prison.
Dina Mathiot, sister of deceased remandee Jerry Mathiot, recounted that she and her mother learned of her brother death through Chief Inspector Gerry Uranie on the morning of December 6, 2024, after hearing about the riot on television the previous evening. They were later invited to meet Commissioner Georges at the Oliaji Trade Centre, where they were told that ten prison officers had been held hostage during the riot and that Jerry had died after an object from the ceiling fell on him while he was in bed.
Mrs Roseline testified that although Commissioner Georges expressed sympathy, she remarked that Jerry death should serve as a lesson to other inmates. The family was permitted to view the body at the mortuary but faced restrictions, with the body remaining in a bag opened only to the neck, and the family kept at a distance. Attempts to view the body fully or attend the post-mortem were refused.
Nadia Ak-Kong, daughter of deceased remandee Francis Ernesta, described her family meeting with former President Wavel Ramkalawan as unproductive. The testimony highlights ongoing concerns about transparency and accountability in the aftermath of the prison tragedy.
