The main opposition leader in Seychelles, Patrick Herminie, has been charged with witchcraft, along with seven others

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August

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Jun 18, 2007
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The main opposition leader in Seychelles, Patrick Herminie, has been charged with witchcraft, along with seven others.

Police say the case is related to the discovery of two bodies exhumed from a cemetery on the island of Mahé.

He has denied the charges, telling local media that his prosecution is a "political show" to taint his image.

Mr Herminie plans to run in the 2025 presidential election under the banner of the United Seychelles Party (USP).
A magistrates court on Monday freed him and six of his Seychellois co-accused on bail of 30,000 Seychelles rupees ($2,100; £1,745), but ruled that a Tanzanian suspect should stay in custody until the next court appearance in November.

Mr Herminie and his co-accused face several charges, including possession of items intended for use in witchcraft, conspiracy to perform witchcraft and procuring services related to witchcraft, according to local media reports.

Prosecutors allege that the opposition leader's name appeared in a WhatsApp message between a Seychellois national and the Tanzanian suspect, who was arrested on 21 September at the main international airport.

The Tanzanian was found with items 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.

Mr Herminie, who served as the speaker of Seychelles' parliament between 2007 and 2016, told local media that more than 40 police officers had raided his party's offices in the capital, Victoria, on Friday.

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.

Mr Herminie described his arrest as "a political show" by President Wavel Ramkalawan to "eliminate those who he knows will remove him from power in the 2025 elections", the Seychelles News Agency reported.

President Ramkalawan has not commented on the case.

Mr Herminie has said he does not believe in witchcraft.

"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.
 
August said:
The main opposition leader in Seychelles, Patrick Herminie, has been charged with witchcraft, along with seven others.

Police say the case is related to the discovery of two bodies exhumed from a cemetery on the island of Mahé.

He has denied the charges, telling local media that his prosecution is a "political show" to taint his image.

Mr Herminie plans to run in the 2025 presidential election under the banner of the United Seychelles Party (USP).
A magistrates court on Monday freed him and six of his Seychellois co-accused on bail of 30,000 Seychelles rupees ($2,100; £1,745), but ruled that a Tanzanian suspect should stay in custody until the next court appearance in November.

Mr Herminie and his co-accused face several charges, including possession of items intended for use in witchcraft, conspiracy to perform witchcraft and procuring services related to witchcraft, according to local media reports.

Prosecutors allege that the opposition leader's name appeared in a WhatsApp message between a Seychellois national and the Tanzanian suspect, who was arrested on 21 September at the main international airport.

The Tanzanian was found with items 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.

Mr Herminie, who served as the speaker of Seychelles' parliament between 2007 and 2016, told local media that more than 40 police officers had raided his party's offices in the capital, Victoria, on Friday.

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.

Mr Herminie described his arrest as "a political show" by President Wavel Ramkalawan to "eliminate those who he knows will remove him from power in the 2025 elections", the Seychelles News Agency reported.

President Ramkalawan has not commented on the case.

Mr Herminie has said he does not believe in witchcraft.

"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.
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Tafsiri

Kiongozi mkuu wa upinzani nchini Ushelisheli, Patrick Herminie, ameshtakiwa kwa uchawi, pamoja na wengine saba.

Polisi wanasema kisa hicho kinahusiana na kupatikana kwa miili miwili iliyofukuliwa kutoka kwenye makaburi katika kisiwa cha Mahé.

Amekana mashtaka hayo, akiambia vyombo vya habari vya ndani kuwa kushitakiwa kwake ni "onyesho la kisiasa" la kuchafua taswira yake.

Bw Herminie anapanga kugombea katika uchaguzi wa urais wa 2025 chini ya bendera ya United Seychelles Party (USP).

* BBC Africa Live: Taarifa kutoka bara zima

Mahakama ya hakimu siku ya Jumatatu ilimwachilia huru yeye na wenzake sita wa Ushelisheli kwa dhamana ya rupia 30,000 za Ushelisheli ($2,100; £1,745), lakini iliamua kwamba mshukiwa wa Kitanzania anapaswa kusalia rumande hadi wakati mwingine wa kufikishwa mahakamani mwezi Novemba.

Bw Herminie na washtakiwa wenzake wanakabiliwa na mashtaka kadhaa, ikiwa ni pamoja na kupatikana na vitu vilivyokusudiwa kutumiwa katika uchawi, kula njama ya kufanya uchawi na kupata huduma zinazohusiana na uchawi, kulingana na ripoti za vyombo vya habari vya ndani.

Waendesha mashtaka wanadai kuwa jina la kiongozi wa upinzani lilionekana katika ujumbe wa WhatsApp kati ya raia wa Ushelisheli na *mshukiwa wa Kitanzania, ambaye alikamatwa tarehe 21 Septemba katika uwanja mkuu wa ndege wa kimataifa.

Mtanzania huyo alikutwa na vitu vinavyohusiana na uchawi, vikiwemo mawe, vitu vya mbao vyeusi, chupa ndogo za maji ya hudhurungi, mkusanyiko wa unga na nyaraka zenye lugha ya ajabu na alama za “kishetani na ushetani,” walisema.

Hati hizo zilikuwa sawa na zile zilizopatikana katika makanisa ya Kikatoliki na maeneo mengine ambayo yalikuwa yameharibiwa huko Mahé, kisiwa kikubwa zaidi cha Shelisheli, waendesha mashtaka walidai zaidi.

Bw Herminie, ambaye aliwahi kuwa spika wa bunge la Ushelisheli kati ya 2007 na 2016, aliambia vyombo vya habari kuwa zaidi ya maafisa 40 wa polisi walivamia afisi za chama chake katika mji mkuu, Victoria, siku ya Ijumaa.

Aliongeza kuwa maafisa hao walitafuta vitu vinavyohusiana na uchawi vikiwemo “mifupa, sehemu za mwili na vitu vinavyohusishwa na Ukristo” lakini hawakupata.

Bw Herminie alitaja kukamatwa kwake kama "onyesho la kisiasa" na Rais Wavel Ramkalawan "kuondoa wale ambao anajua watamwondoa mamlakani katika uchaguzi wa 2025," Shirika la Habari la Ushelisheli liliripoti.

Rais Ramkalawan hajazungumza lolote kuhusu kesi hiyo.

Bw Herminie amesema haamini katika uchawi.

"Katika historia ya Ushelisheli, haijawahi kutokea hadi sasa, kiongozi wa chama cha siasa aliyekamatwa kwa ushirikina na uchawi.

Hili ni jambo jipya na ni aibu kwa Ushelisheli," alinukuliwa akisema.

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Mshana Jr said:
Mtanzania huyo alikutwa na vitu vinavyohusiana na uchawi, vikiwemo mawe, vitu vya mbao vyeusi, chupa ndogo za maji ya hudhurungi, mkusanyiko wa unga na nyaraka zenye lugha ya ajabu na alama za “kishetani na ushetani,” walisema.

Sent using Jamii Forums mobile app
Click to expand...
Mkuu tulikuwa na wasiwasi ni wewe umeenda kutoa "huduma za kibingwa" huko, kumbe ni mtaalamu mwingine.

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