Coast Guard gets training manual on evidence collection at sea |04 July 2014

EUCAP Nestor has handed over a training manual on evidence collection at sea to the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG).

The manual has been developed by EUCAP Nestor experts together with the SCG and the Attorney General’s Office in an effort to further strengthen the Seychelles’ capacity to fight piracy.

“This manual will assist the Coast Guard collect evidence so that it can be used in Court,” said Fredrik Wesslau, acting head of the EUCAP Nestor Seychelles Country Office.
“Securing admissible evidence is a critical part of law enforcement and, in particular, our common efforts to combat piracy.”

The manual includes sections covering international and Seychelles law, including provisions on protecting human rights of suspects.

There are also guidelines for collecting evidence in connection to piracy. These guidelines cover three stages: securing and boarding a suspected pirate vessel, collecting evidence on the vessel, and finally transferring the suspects and evidence to the police.

“The manual will be a very helpful tool in our efforts to combat piracy and, in particular, ensuring a legal finish,” said the commanding officer of the SCG, Lt Col Simon Dine.
“The men and women of the Coast Guard will use the manual both for training purposes and for operations.”
 
The manual focuses on collecting evidence relating to piracy, but it can be used for other crimes as well.

“The training manual will also be helpful to other law enforcement agencies, such as the police and the NDEA,” said the Attorney-General, Rony Govinden.
“It will assist in the criminal prosecution of all trans-border crimes, including piracy.”

EUCAP Nestor is a civilian EU mission, under the Common Security and Defence Policy, which assists countries in the Horn of Africa and the Western Indian Ocean in strengthening their capacity to ensure maritime security and in particular to fight piracy.