Loreto Junior School Case: Former Teacher Frédéric Pavaday Challenges the Validity of Accusations
The pleadings in the case involving Frédéric Pavaday will continue this Friday at the Curepipe court. The former music teacher from Loreto Junior School in Curepipe, who appeared for the fifth time on Thursday, March 5, was remanded back into police custody following the hearing.
During yesterday's session, his lawyers, Me Sanjeev Teeluckdharry and Me Sacheen Boodhoo, presented their arguments before the court. Priscilla Veerabadrun, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, will present the prosecution's arguments this Friday at 10:30 AM.
The defense has mainly questioned the validity of the accusations against the former teacher. Me Sacheen Boodhoo opened the debate by challenging the evidence presented by the police.
Regarding the charge of "Child Ill-Treatment", the lawyer relied on international standards, claiming that the alleged acts do not fit the recognized definition in this field. He stated that the evidence submitted does not establish a prima facie case, meaning there is insufficient proof to support the accusation at this stage of the proceedings.
Concerning the charge of "Attempt upon Chastity", Me Sacheen Boodhoo also criticized the lack of precision in the police investigation. He argued that the officer questioned was unable to clearly identify the act constituting the offense. The lawyer raised the issue of the retroactive application of the 2020 law for alleged acts dating back to 2008, asserting that this aspect warrants careful consideration by the court.
On his part, Me Sanjeev Teeluckdharry contested several elements put forward by the police. He specifically questioned the validity of two emails used as evidence in the sexual abuse allegations against his client.
The lawyer also emphasized the absence of concrete testimonies at this stage of the investigation. According to him, the police have not clarified when the alleged victims will be able to come forward to testify, with some possibly being abroad. Me Sanjeev Teeluckdharry further argued that preventive detention should not be used as a form of punishment, stating that the police have not demonstrated a real risk of flight from his client.
Based on this, the defense is requesting the release of Frédéric Pavaday on bail. The court will hear the arguments from the representative of the Director of Public Prosecutions on Friday morning before making a decision on the next steps in this case.
