The murder of Hubert George Mothe |15 March 2022

Ryan Underwood charged with murder

• Steffie Robert accused of aiding and abetting

33-year-old Ryan Neddy Underwood and girlfriend Steffie Nikkita Robert, 26 years old, both from St Louis, have been officially charged in the murder of Hubert George Mothe on February 11, at St Louis, just outside the district administration office.

Underwood has been charged with murder, while Robert’s charge is aiding and abetting in committing the offence of murder.

According to a witness, he was at his house at St Louis when he heard an argument outside his house, and upon investigating, he saw the second accused (Robert) arguing with the deceased near a mango tree.

He went to where they were and asked the deceased to go home to which he agreed, but was however followed by Robert who was swearing at him.

Still according to the witness, Robert was arguing about another incident occurred the previous week, involving Dean Mothe, the brother of the deceased.

Robert continued to provoke the deceased who at one point pushed her away with his hand, before going to sit near an old car where he was joined by his brother Dean.

Still according to the witness, persistently Robert continued inciting and affronting the deceased and his brother who exchanged expletives.

Robert persistently followed, harassed and used obscene language against the deceased to the extent that a few people had to intervene and separate her and the deceased, but she refused to walk away and continued following, harassing, cursing and intimidating the deceased.

The witness said that Robert phoned her boyfriend (Underwood) who arrived within minutes and pushed the deceased who pushed him back, resulting into a fight.

During the fight, Underwood removed a knife from his waist and showed it to the deceased and his brother, with the former running away towards the main road.

Underwood chased after him, followed by Robert and caught up with him, before pushing him to the ground.

The witness said he then saw Underwood sitting on top of the deceased who was struggling to push the former off him, before seeing Underwood stabbing the deceased with the knife he had removed from his waist earlier.

Still according to the witness, he then intervened and while he pushed Underwood off the deceased, Robert jumped onto him and consequently Underwood ran away.

The deceased was then picked up and transported to the casualty at the Seychelles Hospital, while the knife was picked up and placed under the veranda of the deceased residence.

It was at around 9.30pm on the same day that the Central Police Station received information that George Mothe had passed away from the Seychelles Hospital after being certified dead by Dr Shiram at the casualty.

According to physical examination, the deceased had one deep laceration under his left arm, one small laceration on his back, laceration behind his back and laceration on his right arm.

Based on post mortem examination conducted by forensic pathologist Raul Ramirez Salas, the cause of death relates to Irreversible Hypovolemic Shock – the terminal phase of shock and once the patient progresses into this phase it is the point of no return because there is a rapid deterioration of the cardiovascular system and the patient's compensatory mechanisms have failed – from a stab wound to the chest.

While being cautioned and interviewed, Underwood voluntarily admitted that he was at his home when Robert contacted her on his mobile phone and that he took a red-plastic-handle knife that he was using for cooking and proceeded to St Louis where Robert was.

Once there he argued with the deceased, leading to a physical fight where he took the knife and stabbed the deceased.

According to the prosecution, the two should be remanded in custody since the charges are serious in nature with the punishment of mandatory sentence of life imprisonment on conviction.

Also, being faced with mandatory sentence of life imprisonment on conviction, there is reasonable ground to believe that the respondents on not being remanded in custody is likely to abscond and obstruct the course of justice particularly because of the conduct of Underwood who went in hiding and evaded the police.

Both respondents being aggressive people who pursued and attacked the deceased with a knife, hence there is a reasonable ground to believe the respondents have propensity to commit offence of violence has also been taken into consideration, while most eye witnesses are neighbours and residence of St Louis, there are substantial grounds therefore to believe that the respondents on not being remanded in custody would interfere with the witnesses and frustrate the course of justice.

The duo will reappear before the court on Monday March 28.

Roland Duval