The life of Jean-Richard, a resident of Pailles, was turned upside down by a series of unexpected events. Although he once led a somewhat turbulent life, he says he decided to take charge of himself and find some stability. He worked hard, refusing to beg despite the difficulties.
But one day everything changed. A photo of him circulated on Facebook, accusing him of stealing a cell phone and jewelry. Jean-Richard felt deeply hurt.
Although he maintained his innocence, the situation quickly took a turn for the worse. He was physically attacked before being handed over to the police as a criminal. But after investigation, no formal charges were brought against him. “CID Port-Louis Sud ti pran mwa. Inn fer lanket, me after zot inn finds ki manti sa e zot inn les mwa ale,” he said.
Jean-Richard believes that the law does not seem to be on his side, due to his background. “Monn to Lapolis with bann prev, monn show lapolis to its man who can give me reparation-la. Asterla dimoun kouma pe found stealing, pe trape pe bate san reflesi,” he says.
The situation became even more complicated when he found himself unemployed. “I go from port to port to earn some work, after taking my photo, no one gave me my work,” he laments.
Despite the difficulties, Jean-Richard refuses to give up. He continues to fight for his dignity, for his reputation. He wants to obtain justice, which would restore his dignity and his place in society.
