Workers discover two dug up corpses at Takamaka cemetery   By Laura Pillay   |09 August 2023

Mr Desnousse

Two dug up corpses were discovered yesterday morning at the Takamaka cemetery, the police have confirmed.

“It is the first time that this has happened in Seychelles,” Assistant Commissioner of Police Antoine Desnousse said, following the bizarre and disturbing discovery.

During a press briefing held at the police headquarters yesterday afternoon, Mr Desnousse noted that a report was made to the police at around 8.10am, after workers at the Takamaka cemetery stumbled upon the corpses.

The two bodies, an elderly female who was buried around January, and that of a young man whose funeral was held only last Saturday, were dug up from their graves, and laid on the ground.

Mr Desnousse clarified that the bodies were intact and not dismembered, and that they had been transported to the mortuary were they are under police surveillance.

The corpses will undergo pathological examination.

By yesterday afternoon, it was still unclear when exactly the incident took place. Workers left the cemetery on Friday and only returned yesterday morning when they made the startling discovery.

Also found on the scene was a pyramid made up of blocks and pieces from other graves, as well as four images.

According to Mr Desnousse, the images are of President Wavel Ramkalawan, the leader of the United Seychelles (US) party, Dr Patrick Herminie, and two other individuals, including one who is not permanently in Seychelles but who travels back and forth quite often.

Similar images and the pyramid seems to connect the shocking act to other incidents that have taken place recently, including acts on vandalism, and the discovery of blood and skulls at Catholic churches around the island.

“It is sad that we have reached this point in our country, where we have people digging up someone’s remains. Loved ones have buried their close ones, and have suffered through the ordeal, and when a body is dug up and left just lying on the ground, they have to go through the ordeal again.”

“Lets us be humane. Let us act as civilised people and respect the dignity of the dead,” Mr Desnousse urged.

The police have launched an investigation and calling on members of the public with any information to come forward and assist them. Other forces such as the military will also be pulled in to assist if necessary.

“We will reinforce our presence and we ask that anyone who sees these acts being committed to inform us. We are also involving all intelligence to obtain information and to apprehend these people to bring them before the court,” Mr Desnousse added.

The Criminal Investigation Division (CID) is involved in the investigation, and it is hoped that they might be able to lift fingerprints from the images collected on the scene.

The police are also liaising with the Attorney General’s Office for guidance about the offences committed and the legal implications for persons who committed the act.

Asked whether the police suspect that the act may have been committed by ‘the Syndicate’ who claim to be behind the other incidents at the various churches, Mr Desnousse noted that certain arrests have been made, although nobody has been brought before the court yet.

“We will surely up our level of investigation, and find ways to break the syndicate and bring them to justice,” Mr Desnousse assured.