Magistrate’s Court sets plea date in witchcraft case for November 17 |03 November 2023
The eight persons accused of witchcraft-related offences filed on October 2 will appear before the Magistrate’s Court on November 17 to plead.
Yesterday the prosecution presented the accused with their charges and the defense counsels have been given time to work on their response.
It should be noted that the prosecution has moved to amend charges against four of the accused namely the first accused who is a Tanzanian suspect, Ali Ali Said; the second accused, Simon Dine, 62, of Reef Estate; the fifth accused, Marcel Naiken, 49, of Baie Lazare; and the sixth accused, Yvon Legaie, 54, of Ma Joie.
The other accused are 58-year-old Jules Radegonde of La Digue; Bashir Umarji, 48, of Quincy Village; Kenette Evenor, 44, of Grand Anse Mahé; and Dr Patrick Herminie, 60, of Mont Buxton.
The police, through the prosecutor’s office, had initially brought forward a total of 53 charges against the eight men with the Tanzanian facing the most charges.
They encompass a range of offences; namely being in possession of anything intended to be used for the purpose of witchcraft, conspiracy to exercise in witchcraft non-natural and superstitious mean, counselling and procuring another person in exercising witchcraft, non-natural and superstitious mean and soliciting any person to advise him on any matter for the purpose whatsoever by witchcraft, non-natural or other superstitious means.