Death of Pravin Kanakiah in 2020: the exercise of viewing surveillance cameras is intriguing

“I viewed 130 hours of surveillance camera recordings in seven hours, in accelerated mode (…)”. This statement from Constable Seedanie aroused astonishment on Wednesday May 15, 2024 at the Souillac court. He was testifying as part of the judicial investigation surrounding the death of Pravin Kanakiah. The witness conceded that he may have missed images while watching these videos.

According to Constable Seedanie, there are around 30 to 32 surveillance cameras in the Souillac region. Only eight were operational as of December 2020. The witness said he acted under the instructions of Inspector Raghoonundun to view recordings from five surveillance cameras. Exercise that he carried out, in accelerated mode, on December 14, 2020. That is, cameras located at the Souillac bus station, at the Telfair garden, at the La Roche Qui Pleure and Gris-Gris parking area. and the royal road to Souillac.

In his previous testimony dated March 4, 2024, the witness claimed that he did not see Pravin Kanakiah in the recordings. On Wednesday, May 15, 2024, when questioned by Mᵉ Damodarsingh Bissessur, Senior State Counsel, Constable Seedanie admitted that there is a possibility that he missed the deceased. Questioned by Mᵉ Rama Valayden, lawyer for the Kanakiah family, on the fact that it is impossible to carry out this exercise as he did, the witness replied that he had only followed the instructions.

On the other hand, magistrate Ameerah Dhunnoo also questioned the witness regarding the viewing time that he mentioned in court, because the police officer had given another version in his testimony. The magistrate also questioned him about people seen remotely on surveillance cameras. The judicial inquiry will continue on May 22, 2024.

As a reminder, the body of this Procurement Officer of the Ministry of Finance, aged 38, was found on December 11, 2020, at La Roche Qui Pleure in Gris-Gris.