Has ANB overstepped the limits of decency?
Possible abuse of minors as ANB raids house
The latest Anti-Drugs and Narcotics Bureau (ANB) house raid at Barbarons, Mahe, and the alleged ill-treatment of minors that ensued has brought to the fore the standing of Seychelles Police vis-à-vis human rights.In the raid in a house at the Emergency Housing Estate at Barbarons in the Grand Anse Mahe district on Wednesday 29th July it is said that there were three under-aged girls, some of whom were made to strip in full view of others. The raid is said to have taken place during broad daylight and the home targeted was one where there are allegations of illegal transactions taking place.Reports says that the house was raised when the home owners were at workand there were five and three were under-aged girls present.
The ANB officials who allegedly burst into the house, were four in all and included one female officer and three men. The family alleges that the officers burst in, closed all doors and windows and searched the house. A 17-year-old girl was in the bathroom, and the officers burst in there and made her go to the sitting room, where the other two were. They then asked those present to strip naked and then proceeded to physically body search them. They further claim that the ANB officials also made the girls do squats while naked.
The 17-year-old claims that as she is in her menstrual cycle, she had to go and wear a sanitary towel and the officers accompanied her and made her wear it in their presence.
They did not say whether the search resulted into any findings and seizure of illicit goods. The family claims the girls and the elderly ladies are all traumatized by what happened. This newspaper tried to contact Deputy Commissioner of Police Romano Songore who is currently on sick leave -but he assured that he would revert after contacting his co-Deputy Commissioner of Police -Ted Barbe.If the said allegations are indeed factual, it raises a huge red flag regarding the behavior of the Anti-Drugs and Narcotics Bureau’s modus operandi. In another incident last week; the ANB reportedly went to a secondary school and stripped searched three 14-year-old students.
Searching any child in any way shape or form without the consent and in the presence of his or her parents is illegal and gross violation of rules and regulations considering protection of the child. To strip search young under aged girls is grossly indecent as well as illegal and again constitutes an abuse of a minor.Despite the fact that the ANB has a very wide range of powers which allows them to raid places where they have reason to believe illegal activities are going on, they are nevertheless subject to laws and most of all must remain in line with the Constitution of Seychelles. Even if ANB can legally enter the premises of a person’s home to search, the findings from such search, may not necessarily hold up in a court of law.A society’s ability to progress is based on the capability of its law enforcement agencies to implement the law according to the law and in line with recognized international standard.
JUDGES’ RULE
A lawyer told this newspaper that it has been a while now that some legal practitioners have been lobbying to get the country’s police force to follow and implement what is known as Judges’ Rule. This rule defines how police should operate in different scenarios including but not limited to how to conduct a search. Apparently Seychelles is among the very few countries which has a British based legal system and which does not follow Judges Rule.This is possibly why there are so many cases of reported police brutality and heavy-handedness especially in regards ANB officers. The general public’s opinion of the ANB is that its officers are arrogant, rude, belligerent and a law unto themselves. Given this kind of reputation it is not hard to understand why the Seychelles Police Force cannot attract the best quality youths to join its ranks.
All this notwithstanding, The Independent demands that the Commissioner of Police acts as swiftly to establish the facts in these two cases as he did when ANB officers were allegedly attacked by some civilians. We equally insist that he takes serious punitive actions against all the implicated officers if these facts are ascertained. This newspaper also insists that the police give the media a mise-a-jour about all the cases of reported police brutality which occurred during the COVID19 lockdown period.NB: the names of the alleged victims have been withheld in line with regulations governing the protection of minors.
