The SeychellesCourt of Appealhasacquittedand ordered the repatriation of 3 Somalipiratesback to their homeland, the Seychelles News Agency reports.
The highest court in the land overturned a previous ruling delivered by the island nation’s Supreme Court citing “insufficient evidence that proves that they were indeed pirates.”
TheCourt of Appeal’s ruling was delivered at the end of its last session for this year on Friday December 12. The court holds three sessions yearly, one in April, one in August and the last one in December.
Two of the three men were appealing against their 21 year sentence while the third one, a juvenile aged 16 was appealing against his 14 year sentence.
According to an article published on Monday in daily newspaper,TODAY in Seychelles, theCourt of Appealjudges “severely warned” the prosecution when delivering their ruling “to make sure they have concrete evidence before prosecuting suspects.”
The 3 men were in fact part of a group of 25 suspectedpiratesarrested by a Danish Naval Vessel off the Horn of Africa, in January 2012.
Source: Seychelles News Agency