Mauritian Prithviraj Fekna sworn in as Court of Appeal judge |28 June 2019
Judge Fekna with President Faure after the swearing-in ceremony
A Mauritian national Prithviraj Fekna was sworn in as a new judge of the Court of Appeal in a ceremony held yesterday morning at State House.
Judge Fekna took his oath before President Danny Faure in the presence of Vice-President Vincent Meriton, the President of the Court of Appeal Francis Macgregor, Chief Justice Mathilda Twomey, leader of government business in the National Assembly Charles De Commarmond, Attorney General Frank Ally, justices of the Court of Appeal, judges of the Supreme Court, secretaries of state, members of the Constitutional Appointments Authority (CAA) and senior officials in the President’s Office.
Judge Fekna said Seychelles and Mauritius share common judicial historical links where appeal cases were heard in Mauritius over a long period of time until the Seychelles’ Court of Appeal was set up.
He said it was a great privilege to be following in the footsteps of other senior Mauritian Supreme Court judges who came before him to serve as Court of Appeal judges here.
“For me it is not only a pleasure but also a privilege to be here. I come with the attitude of sharing whatever experience and opportunities I have had during my work in Mauritius and I feel that Seychelles is working very much along the same line of administration of justice of fair trials for securing justice for the people,” Justice Fekna said.
Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony, he said that he found himself very much in a common context and that his personal wish and hope is that he would be able to contribute whatever experience and knowledge he has in the advancement of jurisprudence in this country and to work in congeniality with my colleagues of the Court of Appeal, and above all this in the best interest of justice and the best interest of the country.
Judge Fekna, who has 28 years experience in the judiciary, holds a Bachelor and a Masters in law in legislative drafting.
He has held various posts in the Mauritian judiciary including President of the Fair Rank Tribunal and President of the Industrial Court. He was also a part time lecturer at the Institute of Judicial and Legal Studies in Mauritius. In 2011 he was elevated as judge of the Supreme Court until his appointment as Justice of Appeal.
It was President Faure who appointed Judge Fekna as Justice of Appeal for Seychelles upon recommendations from the CAA under article 123 of the Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles.
The Court of Appeal has now seven judges and they will be hearing cases in August this year.