Siddick Chady Does Not Get Leave To Appeal To The Privy Council

The former chairman of the Mauritius Ports Authority was asking for leave from the Supreme Court to appeal to the Privy Council to challenge his conviction and the extension of his sentence from nine to 15 months in prison. He faced six charges of Public Official using Office for Gratification before the intermediate court. He was convicted on one of the charges, i.e. taking bribe from Boskalis, while the other five charges were struck out. The former minister was sentenced to 9 months in prison. Siddick Chady challenged the intermediate court’s decision. But his appeal was rejected. Meanwhile, the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed against the sentence, arguing that it was not severe enough. He won the appeal. The sentence was increased from 9 to 15 months in prison. Siddick Chady filed two motions in the Supreme Court. In the first, he sought leave to appeal to the Privy Council and in the second, he challenged the extension of his sentence by 9 months. Justices Iqbal Maghooa and Karuna Devi Gunesh-Balaghee held that Siddick Chady did not meet the criteria for a Privy Council application.