Exposing the land grab reveals that certain documents are being kept out of the public records.
Honorable Flory Larue was requested by the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission (TRNUC) to appear before them on the 6th of February 2020 to give evidence on the abuse of state land by those in power who gained financially. In an extensive presentation Hon. Larue provided facts and documents exposing the abuse.
Many examples were cited including that of former President Albert Rene. It was revealed that Rene had as far back as 1971 secretly acquired 2 parcels at Sans Souci in the national park from the Colony of Seychelles when acting as chair of Lands Committee for SCR 9385. In 1991 Rene increased his land grab by selling himself 3 parcels of Government land (B542, B765 and B767) at Barbaron which totaled 33,764 square meters for the sum of SR65,000. This was later amalgamated to be part of B1854. More abuse was shown with Rene leasing over 80,000 square meters through a company called Capricorn Estate which was owned by Katiti properties, a company Rene had 99% shares. Evidence that former Land Minister Dolor Ernesta had 52 parcels registered in his name were also provided.
A shocking revelation came after Hon. Larue provided evidence of the abuse of state land by the political party United Seychelles and their more than 40 parcels of land grab. United Seychelles was formerly Parti Lepep and before that SPPF and SPUP. It was revealed that parcel B2565 did not belong to the political party anymore but was owned by former president James Michel.
Parcel B2565, which is 12,218 square meters in size, is a parcel which was amalgamated from parcels B499, B500 and B502; by the then President of SPPF. No date was recorded on the document. The huge parcel which has 5 constructions with a swimming pool was thought to belong to the Anse Polite branch of SPPF.
Evidence shows that whilst investigating parcel B2565 on the 13th of July 2016 as part of an overall United Seychelles land grab investigation, the certified copy that land registrar provided indicated that this plot belonged to SPPF. Even on the 10th of September 2019 Minister Pamela Charlette confirmed to the National Assembly that B2565 still belonged to SPPF now United Seychelles. This was in response to a private notice question by the Leader of the opposition to list all current land that United Seychelles are still the owners.
Hon. Larue provided a document that she recently received to TRNUC that now reveals that on the 1st of August 2012, B2565 was actually transferred to James Michel for the sum of SCR 2Million. This document is not on the file of B2565 at land registrar that is available to the public. This raises many questions. Is there fraud at the Land registrar? Are laws of the Land Registration act being broken as registrar maybe intentionally concealing and misleading the public by giving false and incorrect information as was the case on the 13th of July 2016 which certified that B2565 belonged to SPPF? There are many rumours and even hints from the staff at land registrar that there is a secret safe that conceals certain sensitive documents that would embarrass certain individuals. If this is correct, are they concealing documents like the B2565 document from even the Minister herself?
Source: Seychelles Weekly
Source: Seychelles Weekly