Victoria, Seychelles

The main opposition party leader in Seychelles, Patrick Herminie, has been booked in a case involving “witchcraft”.

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Hermine, along with six others and a Tanzanian, was arrested on Friday (Sept 29) at his party’s headquarters and his office was searched before he was released.

On Monday (Oct 2), he and others were formally charged at the Seychelles magistrates’ court as part of a probe into “witchcraft” and “unnatural and superstitious” acts.

Herminie, who plans to run in the 2025 presidential election, was released on that day on bail of 30,000 Seychelles rupees ($2,100).

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The case is about the discovery of unearthed bodies of an elderly woman and a young man in a cemetery on the main island of Mahé in August.

The police found Hermine’s name on the phone of the Tanzanian national, who was arrested at Seychelles International Airport at the end of September.

Herminie's named linked to demonic rituals 

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The Tanzanian was found in possession of witchcraft items like wooden artefacts, small bottles of brownish liquid, a collection of powders, and documents with strange language and "demonic and satanic" symbols, Seychelles News Agency reported.

Prosecutors alleged that the opposition leader's name appeared in a WhatsApp message between a Seychellois national and the Tanzanian suspect.

Prosecutors further claimed that the documents were similar to those found in Catholic churches and other places that had been vandalised in Mahé.

Leader slams 'political persecution' 

Speaking to local media after he was released, Hermine slammed his arrest, saying that his prosecution is a "political show" to taint his image.

“This is a political show by the president (Wavel Ramkalawan) to eliminate those who he knows will remove him from power in the 2025 elections.”

Herminie has said he does not believe in witchcraft.

"In Seychelles' history, there has never been until now, a political party leader arrested for superstition and witchcraft. This is something new and it is shameful for Seychelles," he was quoted as saying.

(With inputs from agencies)

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