Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission – Hearing Number 197 Commission hears two more complainants in open session   |11 September 2021

Jude De Commarmond was the first person to appear in the open session of the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission (TRNUC) yesterday, in Case 0382, giving an account on his life after he, along with his father, lost their house at Beau Vallon.

Mr De Commarmond said they were illegally evicted from their house which according to him was sold maliciously while they were still living in it.

He said even if they were ready to pay the remaining balance, they were told by housing officials that the orders came from above, precisely from Dolor Ernesta, who was minister responsible for housing at that time.

Mr De Commarmond explained that they were given R65,000 by Bernard Georges to pay the outstanding balance, but the authority refused the money since the house was already sold.

He also said he was harassed and threatened by the police who told him that he will be injected with chemicals to keep him quiet, since he was against the government.

From then on, Mr De Commarmond moved to Praslin where he has been staying until now.

Case 0285 – Salim Akbar

Complainant Salim Akbar was the second person in front of the TRNUC yesterday, giving evidence in Case 0285 filed by himself, regarding his unlawful arrest and imprisonment after drugs and ammunition were allegedly planted on his property.

Mr Akbar said on the morning of September 24, 1995, while sleeping, he heard a big knock on the door and while approaching the door, he noticed a group of armed police officers outside.

When he enquired about their presence, they informed him that they were there to carry out a general search on the property.

Mr Akbar said the search began in the living room and he recognised officer Eugene Poris among the bunch.

He explained that while the search was on in one bedroom, he noticed that some officers were already upstairs in the house, having entered without his knowledge.

Upon entering the second bedroom, a female police officer was already there and she instantly pulled something from under the bed which was later identified as cannabis raisin.

The officer then pulled a small carton box under the same bed which contained 10 bullets and the search stopped instantly, without looking for the corresponding weapon or even asking Mr Akbar whether he possessed a weapon.

Mr Akbar said he was arrested and locked up for 24 hours before being released.

He explained that he had previously heard about a plot against him orchestrated by State House and that he informed his lawyer Pesi Pardiwalla about it.

For the drugs and ammunition he was tried and spent five years and four months in prison.

He said he once bought a piece of land at Bougainville and the landowner told him that ex-President Albert Rene was not satisfied with the process and brought a case to court.

Mr Akbar explained that Mr Rene lost the case and he got his land back, but noticed the frequent presence of soldiers on his property which was turned into a farm, and they told him they were doing military training.

He said one of his workers – Barry Etienne – was shot and killed on the farm by the police under the pretext that he attacked them with a machete.

Mr Akbar said two other workers who were on the farm were locked up until the police managed to come up with an excuse to tell the victim’s family.

He said after the death of his worker, he lost interest in the farm and sold the property.

Mr Akbar also added that he was followed by members of the State Security, stating Marc Pool and Jemmy Marengo.

After closing the farm, Mr Akbar opened a shop at Belonie which he operated until he was arrested under the drug and ammunition charges.

During his trial, Mr Akbar said he was judged on photocopies of document which have been tampered with, while the originals were never found.

He explained that the prosecution could not tell the court where they got the copies.

Following his release, Mr Akbar left the country and spent some time in neighbouring Madagascar.

He explained on one occasion he was told by the Seychelles consulate in Antananarivo they have received orders from ex-President James Michel not to entertain him, even if it was a matter of life and death.

After leaving Madagascar, he went to Mauritius where he was served with a Prohibited Immigrant (PI) notice, before being allowed to enter the country, after Air Mauritius intervened, since he was on transit and under the responsibility of the airline.

Roland Duval