CJ to refund money for security fence built at her private residence |18 July 2018

The principal secretary for Finance, Damien Thésée, has said that the funding of the security fence at the house at La Misère belonging to Chief Justice Mathilda Twomey and paid for by the judiciary, is not in line with the Public Financial Management Act and Regulations which provides procedures on what and how public money and public assets are managed and used.

Mr Thésée was making reference to statements made by the Registrar of the Supreme Court, Juliana Esticot, during an interview with the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC) aired on television on July 16, which said the public financing of the security fence at the house of the chief justice by the judiciary was normal under the Act and Regulation as it covers the security aspect of the CJ as a whole.

Mrs Esticot was answering to an article published in the Seychelles Weekly on July 13 which stated that the judiciary had used public funds to construct a new fence for the private residence of the chief justice. According to Mr Thésée, the fence had cost R75,000 but only R25,000 as a deposit payment had been disbursed to the contractor so far.

“As the judges are entitled for a housing allowance and security personnel, this has been interpreted that any measure to boost security for the officials was normal. We do understand that the intention was not to misappropriate any funds but our laws do not allow for financing of any other feature to boost up security to any staff or high officials other than the personal security,” he said, noting that the judiciary has been financially autonomous since the start of the year but still falls under the Public Financial Management Act and Regulations as regard to their budget and assets.

Mr Thésée said that communications have been made with the judiciary and through an understanding, the chief justice will pay for the fence and will refund the R25,000.