Arrest of pirate chief ‘a positive development’ |22 August 2014

The government of Seychelles has welcomed the news of the arrest of one of Somalia’s most notorious pirate chiefs, Mohamed Garfanji, responsible for multiple ship hijackings and hostage takings at ransom – including Seychellois nationals.

The government of Seychelles has commended the efforts of the Somali government for apprehending the criminal in Mogadishu late on Sunday evening, a move viewed as a positive step towards ensuring the security of the shared oceanic space of the western Indian Ocean.

“The arrest of Garfanji is also testament to the concerted efforts of the international community to disrupt the Somali piracy model and end the scourge, which has been plaguing the Indian Ocean since 2005,” says a joint communique from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Transport and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the communique, Seychelles had issued an international arrest warrant that Interpol used as the basis for a Red Alert Notice on the pirate kingpin, Mohamed Garfanji.

The Seychelles government had been actively engaged in bringing the suspected pirate to justice since he was allegedly responsible for kidnapping and torturing two Seychellois fishermen and hijacking Seychelles flagged ships.

The Minister for Home Affairs and Transport, Joël Morgan, has expressed his satisfaction following the arrest.

“This high profile arrest sends a clear message that there shall be no impunity for those who engage in pirate activity and criminals who profit from the suffering of their victims will be brought to justice and suffer the full consequences of their crimes,” said Minister Morgan.