HC Deb 01 May 1957 vol 569 cc14-5W
27 and 29. Mr. Swingler

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) in how many cases heard by the Supreme Court of the Seychelles since December, 1948, a right of appeal to a higher court existed; and in how many cases it was exercised;

(2) how many appeals from judgments of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Seychelles have been heard by the Supreme Court of Mauritius and the East African Court of Appeal from December, 1948, to the present date; how many of these judgments have been quashed, reversed, modified or sent back for retrial; and how many have been upheld.

Mr. Profumo:

Of 2,518 civil and criminal cases to date there was an absolute right of appeal in 405. Other cases were appealable by leave granted by the trial judge, the appeal court, or Her Majesty in Council. Appeals were lodged in 37 cases, of which 11 are pending.

Nineteen cases have been heard by the Mauritius Supreme Court and seven by the East Africa Court of Appeal.

The following are the results of the appeals heard by the Mauritius Supreme Court and the East Africa Court of Appeal:

  1. (a) Judgment reversed—thirteen
  2. (b) Retrial ordered—three
  3. (c) Appellant declared out of time—one
  4. (d) Damages increased—one
  5. (e) Damages decreased—one
  6. (f) Judgment upheld—seven.