Montagne Posée prison |19 October 2020

Inmate found unresponsive in holding cell

A male inmate at the Montagne Posée prison was found unresponsive and hanging in a holding cell and attempts to revive him proved unsuccessful, the Seychelles Prison Service has confirmed.

The inmate, who was in his mid-20s, was found at approximately 2.39pm on Saturday afternoon.

The police and family members of the inmate were subsequently informed of the incident.

An investigation headed by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) is underway and an inquest into the inmate’s untimely death will also be opened.

The inmate was being held in a special holding cell and not in his usual cell. He was alone in the holding cell, according to the Seychelles Prison Service (SPS).

Following the incident on Saturday, the CID yesterday took written statements from several Montagne Posée inmates who wished to pass on relevant information in regards to an incident which occurred prior to the death of their colleague.

“I spoke to his father and stepmother right after the incident. His family members were able to come up to the prison after which they went to the mortuary,” superintendent of prison, Raymond St Ange, told Seychelles NATION newspaper.

Mr St Ange noted that the inmate was in remission and was in line to be released next month in November, although he would have gotten out earlier in October if not for an offence which delayed his release.

The inmate had appeared before the prison’s disciplinary panel on several occasions in relation to his behaviour.

“It is sad that I was unable to talk to him before this. I was about to approach him on Saturday afternoon to inform him that we were going to reconsider his case on Monday,” provided Mr St Ange.

The superintendent yesterday morning toured the cell blocks within the main male block, met with inmates in their various work stations and staff at the prison.

“Understandably the other inmates are grieving and unhappy about the death of their colleague. However rumours circulating of a riot are untrue. It was important for me to also meet with the staff to brief them and lay to rest speculations from social media,” highlighted Mr St Ange.

“We are all saddened by this incident. The prison is a close-knit community; we see each other on an almost daily basis so we are like an extended family. We are cognizant that our pain cannot match that of the inmate’s family members and we sympathise with them,” said Mr St Ange.

An autopsy will be conducted on the body as part of the police investigation.

Elsie Pointe