Somali pirates’ hearing begins 7 February
Original source: The Independent Daily
12 suspect Somali pirates appeared in Mauritius Intermediary Court on Thursday.
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Somali pirates' hearing begins Feb 7 - Photo: Independent Daily
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They were represented by their respective state-appointed lawyers and were ordered to be remanded in cell at Alcatraz detention centre after they appeared before magistrate Nalini Senevrayar Cunden.
The pirates are temporarily charged with piracy attacks at high seas under the Piracy and Maritime Violence Act. The first hearing will be held on February 7 in a special court room at the New Court House presided by judge Priviraj Feknah.
The police inquiry is being carried out by a special cell at the Central Criminal Investigation Department under the supervision of assistant commissioner of police, Pregassen Vuddamalay.
Somalian translators were also assigned to them as only a few of them could speak English.
The suspects have denied being pirates and maintained they were fishermen. However, weapons and firearms were found in their possession when they were intercepted by the US army.
Mauritius is part of the Counter Piracy Programme of the United Office on Drugs and Crime which is committed to international institutions and with islands in the Indian Ocean to track down shipping vessels to combat piracy through the vessel monitoring system.
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