TRNUC hears Commissioner of Police, case of compulsory acquisition of Grand Police property |05 March 2020

The Commissioner of Police Kishnan Labonte, Lucy and David Daniel Deltel were the only persons who appeared live in the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission (TRNUC) hearing sessions yesterday.

Commissioner Labonte’s appearance was in relation to a number of public complaints while the Deltels were there in connection with a compulsory property acquisition case.

Commission chairperson Gabrielle McIntyre informed Commissioner Labonte that a number of complaints have been filed in relation to a list of cases and where there were or there were no investigations carried out and the Commission has been unable to access those files and the Attorney General could not confirm or deny in some cases if there had been an investigation.

Ms McIntyre said they have sent a list of the old cases to the Commissioner to find out whether there was any record of investigation, files or if he has any knowledge as to what happened to the files.

Mr Labonte explained the work that has been conducted by the police to find the files and reports on murder and disappearance cases and the status of certain of these cases, namely Davidson Chang Him which happened on June 5, 1977, Hassanali on August 13, 1977, the Elisabeth family and Brian Victor including the murder of Sonny Elizabeth and Michael Hoffman which happened on July 21, 1983, Alton Charles Ah-Time who disappeared on September 13, 1984, Simon Denousse killed on October 19, 1982, Gilbert Morgan who disappeared on February 7, 1977, Andrew Pouponneau 1982, Berard Jeannie June 5, 1977.

Mr Labonte informed the Commission that he was appointed in his post on October 9, 2017 but the file related to the mentioned cases have never been handed over to him and he confirmed to the Commission that he does not have the files in his possession nor in his office.

“As I know that all serious cases are investigated by the CID and detective section, I asked the officers concerned for the files and any related photos but I was told that there were nothing whatsoever in the unit,” Commissioner Labonte affirmed. He said he was a police constable at the time of the coup d’etat and they were instructed to stay at home during that time and came back to work when he was summoned to. He also affirmed that during his time as a police officer he worked in different units but had never been a member of any investigation team in the cases mentioned. He said his career in the police force was terminated on December 31, 2003 when he and eight other senior officers and two drivers were made redundant. He was assistant commissioner then.

With regards to the files when asked if the police do not have an archive, Commissioner Labonte said the archive is there but the files are missing. Asked what happened to a case when it is not solved, Mr Labonte said there is no definite time defined by the law to bring it to prosecution so it remains open and kept in view until new evidence are found.

In the Berard Jeannie case, Mr Labonte said the only thing he had to share with the Commission is that in 2018 he received a letter signed by his brother, Louis, who was seeking a form of compensation stating that all commissioners in the past had received the same letter of request but had not acted in anyway.

“I forwarded the letter to State House and consequently some form of compensation was awarded in the case,” Mr Labonte said.

But he added that personally he would have preferred to see justice done as Jeannie was a police officer who lost his life while on duty.

Meanwhile in reference to the case of Damendra Eulentin, whose tortured and disfigured body was pulled from the sea at Providence in March 2007, Mr Labonte said if a complaint is filed with the police a criminal investigation can open.

Case 060 : Compulsory acquisition of the Deltel property at Grand Police

It was in 1983 that the whole 247-acre property at Grand Police belonging to the Deltel family was compulsorily acquired by Albert Rene’s government giving the family only a couple of months to move out. The notorious Grand Police prison was among the infrastructure that was built on the property.

The family has brought a case to the Commission claiming back their property.

One of the Deltel children, David Daniel Deltel and his wife Lucy Deltel, appeared before the Commission yesterday afternoon to recount what the family went through after their property was acquired and the army took control of the family house, partitioned it and turned it into offices, how they cherished the few moments they were given permission by the army to visit the family home and their attempt to obtain some form of compensation encouraged by founding President of Seychelles, Sir James Mancham, who had good connections.

Mrs Deltel said as far as they know Mr Mancham wrote letters to government concerning their case and at one stage the sum of R2.5 million was offered which was considered a complete joke and an insult to the family for a property worth hundreds of million rupees.

“The family turned the ridiculous offer down,” Mrs Deltel stated. Then the case went to Court and the family contacted the Lands Department where for months they were told the matter was being worked on. The family went directly to the government and discussed the matter with the then minister responsible for lands, Dolor Ernesta and other key concerned officials including Patrick Lablache. She said R6 million was offered as compensation during that meeting but her husband refused. Later they were offered R14 million to be paid in installments over a   period of five years. The family accepted the offer which was paid by installments.

She noted that even though it was said the property was acquired for the people of Seychelles, yet what can be seen now is a property that went from a well managed estate into an overgrown and abused land and the family would like to know if the property has been sold and if so for how much and to whom. Mrs Deltel said they were never offered the property back and if that had happened the family would have welcomed it. The Commission said an investigation would be carried out and more people concerned by the case and involved in the acquisition will be called in.

The Commission resumes its hearing sessions this morning.

Marie-Anne Lepathy