Siddick Chady: “prison allowed me to mature”

Siddick Chady is now enjoying his freedom. Ex-inmate of the Richelieu open prison, he regained his freedom Monday morning after nine months of detention, the prison's communications unit told Défi Quotidien on Monday evening. During an intervention on Radio Plus, Siddick Chady made a point of emphasizing that he did not benefit from any preferential treatment during his incarceration.

“I had no privileges in prison. I was treated like any other inmate. Even if I had been offered privileges, I would not have accepted. Besides, the other detainees helped me by ensuring my protection,” declared Siddick Chady on Radio Plus. He now plans to return to the political scene. “Prison allowed me to mature. I am a Labor Party. This is why I want to enter politics again to serve,” he added.

Siddick Chady also stressed that he has “no ambition to become a minister or an MP”. “I just want to serve…” confided the former Minister of Public Infrastructure. He was also a municipal councilor of Port-Louis and president of the Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA).

As a reminder, Siddick Chady was serving a 15-month prison sentence in the Boskalis affair. He was first taken to New Wing Prison in Beau-Bassin, then to Melrose High Security Prison (Eastern High Security Prison) a few days later. He was, more precisely, incarcerated in the Geriatric Ward because of his age. It was towards the end of last year that the septuagenarian was transferred to the Richelieu open prison. He also benefited from statutory remissions and earned remissions during his incarceration. Which explains his release after approximately nine months of incarceration. Shortly before, Siddick Chady spoke to TéléPlus.

“As a human being, I am deeply affected by this situation which saddens my loved ones and my patients. However, I find strength in prayer, because I am convinced that justice prevails in this world. If I made any mistakes, I apologize. I learned many lessons from the Boskalis affair, including the true meaning of friendship and recognizing my enemies,” he said.

But how did he behave in prison? “Siddick Chady was exemplary in prison. He was a detainee without any problem,” it is made clear.