Le Directeur des poursuites publiques (DPP) passe à l’offensive. Dix-huit jours après le jugement de la magistrate Niroshini Ramsoondar, qui avait acquitté les policiers Vikash Persand, Jean-François Numa et Joshan Raggoo, poursuivis sous une accusation de torture by public officials, dans l’affaire du décès suspect d’Iqbal Toofanny, 42 ans, Me Satyajit Boolell, SC, a déposé hier dix points d’appel contre le jugement de la magistrate. 
Les principaux points d’appel sont les suivants : 

“The learned Magistrate was wrong to conclude that the evidence of Dr Gungadin, Chief Police Medical Officer, was inconsistent with the prosecution case (…) 

The learned Magistrate was wrong to conclude that any confession or any information that could have been required from the deceased must necessarily have been so obtained before 5.30 a.m. on 02 March 2015, whereas the truth, and in fact the investigation into that matter, was still ongoing. 

The learned Magistrate was wrong in law on the desirability of corroborative evidence in the teeth of strong, credible evidence adduced by the prosecution. 

In view of the strong and unshaken evidence at the close of the Prosecution case, the learned Magistrate was wrong to conclude that no explanation was required on the part of the respondents. 

The learned Magistrate erred in law by misdirecting herself as to the standard of proof by holding that the Prosecution had to prove its case “beyond a shadow of doubt”. 

In all the circumstances of the case, the learned Magistrate was wrong to have afforded the benefit of the doubt to the Respondents in view of the overwhelming circumstantial evidence establishing their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.” 

Le DPP demande ainsi à la Cour suprême d’annuler le jugement de la magistrate. Si cette requête est agréée, une nouvelle procédure serait enclenchée contre les trois policiers. 

Pour rappel, au total cinq policiers étaient concernés, dont deux sont décédés avant le procès, nommément Johny Laboudeuse et Ghislain Gaiqui.