Seychelles: leader of main opposition party charged with witchcraft

The leader of the main opposition party in the Seychelles, Patrick Herminie, was indicted on Monday as part of an investigation into suspected "witchcraft".

Patrick Herminie, leader of the United Seychelles party and a candidate in the 2025 presidential election, denounced the decision as political.

Mr Herminie was arrested on Friday at his party's headquarters and his office searched, before being released.

Patrick Herminie, along with six other Seychellois and a Tanzanian national, have been charged in connection with an investigation into "witchcraft" and "unnatural and superstitious" acts.

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

The name of Mr Herminie, who was president of the National Assembly between 2007 and 2016, was found on the phone of the Tanzanian national, who was arrested at Seychelles International Airport at the end of September in possession of stones, small bottles containing a brownish liquid, an assortment of powders and a number of documents containing language and symbols described as satanic, according to the Seychelles News Agency.

Prosecutors said that the symbols on the documents were similar to others found in vandalised sites in the archipelago, including Catholic churches.

After being charged on Monday, Patrick Herminie was released on bail of 30,000 Seychelles rupees (around €2,100). "For me, this is a decision that comes directly from the presidency of Mr Ramkalawan", the Head of State, Mr Herminie told the press on Friday,

If found guilty, the accused could face fines. A new hearing is scheduled for 3 November.