TRNUC hears more on the disappearance of Hassanali |26 November 2020

Case 005 ‒ Carlette Ball, in relation to her husband, Hassanali, who disappeared at St Louis on August 13, 1977, took the limelight during the whole of yesterday’s session of the Truth, Reconciliation and National Unity Commission.

Six witnesses appeared in closed sessions and the first of two witnesses who appeared in public session in the case was France Freminot. Following evidence received by the commission, Mr Freminot had seen the incident since he resides not far from where Hassanali was kidnapped, and was offered a series of brand new cars by the state for his silence.

In reply, Mr Freminot, who was accompanied by his wife, said he did not witness any kidnapping. He claimed that on the day, he had gone to meet his wife from work at the hospital and while walking up St Louis, not so late that night, they saw a car with lights on, stopped next to the Long Win shop. He said that while walking by, his wife, who was pregnant, tripped on a slipper that was on the road. He claimed that he saw nobody at the scene.

He also claimed they did not pay too much attention to the car and while continuing and turning left on their way home, they spotted police officers with flash lights in the bushes. He explained that upon asking of their presence in the bushes, he said he was told that they were searching for Hassanali who had gone missing. He noted that this was what he knew about the incident.

Mr Freminot said he had never known who Hassanali was and that he learned the story of his disappearance like everybody else. He claimed that the car which was on the left side of the road, was not positioned in the direction of Beau Vallon as stated in previous evidence given but was rather positioned facing Victoria as they (Freminot and wife) were blinded by its headlights on their way up.

Mr Freminot, who claimed he was 26 years old at the time and had just got married, said he knew practically nobody at St Louis at that time except for his sisters and brothers in law who were St Louis residents and also the Nelson family of Nelson Care Hire, as he had once lived further up St Louis next to them, and a Mr Emile who was his supervisor at his place of work.

With regard to being gifted cars by the state, Mr Freminot said he worked hard to own the first car bought from his own pocket, including other vehicles that he owned later. He denied receiving cars as gifts from the state to stay quiet on the kidnapping incident.

Taking the oath to give her version of the story, Mr Freminot’s wife claimed that they saw people at the scene, contrary to what her husband had said before that there was no one. Her evidence got her husband frustrated leading him to interrupt her presentation and further explained to the commission that her illness is preventing her memory to function properly and that her evidence was not correct. He in turn insisted they saw nobody at the scene when they passed by.

Mr Freminot later called on the commission to get people to stop spreading rumors that he witnessed the kidnapping and that he was also rewarded to stay quiet. He said the rumors are detrimental to him and his family and they should stop.

CASE 005 ‒ Carlette Ball ‒ Witness Raymond Savy

Former high ranking police officer Raymond Savy, who had previously appeared before the commission as a witness with regard to the disappearance of Hassanali, was again before the commission yesterday afternoon following statements made by witness Geraldine Laporte, who had claimed that he visited her house the day after Hassanali disappeared.

In setting out his evidence, Mr Savy said the allegations against him by Mrs Laporte were a lie as he never went to her house. He claimed that as the investigator on the case, he received instructions from the commissioner of police to go and see another police officer (a certain Mr Isnard) at the Mont Fleuri police station for more information and the latter told him to go to the l’Exile army camp if he wanted to get the information he wanted.

Mr Savy added that upon arriving at the gate at the l’Exile army camp he, along with another officer, were threatened and prevented from entering to carry out their duties. He said the following day he called on the commissioner to find someone else to carry on with the investigation as he was excusing himself from the case. He claimed that in the short time of his investigation in Hassanali’s disappearance, he never met, saw or talk to Mrs Laporte (Collie at that time). He noted that at that time in his investigation, the persons he had talked to were Carlette Ball and a policeman who had gone to the scene.

“I never went to her house,” Mr Savy said, claiming also that during his investigations he also never got to meet and talk to Lina Bonnelame (another witness in the case who was alleged to have come down to the police station to make her statement) or see her statement.

Lina Bonnelame, who had denied allegations of being connected with Hassanali’s disappearance, appeared before the commission for the second time yesterday, in closed session this time, following further allegations made against her. Also giving evidence in closed sessions yesterday were Juliana Betsy, Geraldine Laporte, Barry Zelia, a Mr Pillay and a witness bearing abbreviation VW21.

Patrick Joubert