Seychelles Names Zambian Judge to Lead CCCL Explosion Probe

VICTORIA, Mahé — Seychelles President Dr. Patrick Herminie on Tuesday swore in a Commission of Inquiry into the 7 December 2023 Civil Construction Company Limited explosion, appointing Zambian Court of Appeal Judge Nicola Ann Sharpe-Phiri to chair proceedings in a move positioned around independence and accountability.

The ceremony at State House on 31 March 2026 formally launches an investigation into the explosion at the CCCL explosives storage facility in the Providence Industrial Estate on Mahé, an incident that caused widespread destruction and left key questions unresolved for more than two years.

Justice Sharpe-Phiri will lead the Commission alongside Guy Roucou and Dora Zatte, who serve as members. The composition places an external judicial figure at the centre of the inquiry, with authorities signalling that the process will operate free from interference or favour.

The appointment carries weight within both Seychelles and regional legal circles. Justice Sharpe-Phiri has served as a Judge of the Court of Appeal of Zambia since April 2021. Before that, she held office as a High Court Judge from 2011 to 2021, where she led the Family and Children’s Division.

Her professional profile includes fellowship of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) in both London and Zambia, alongside extensive experience as a commercial arbitrator. She holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Zambia and a Master’s degree in Human Rights, Conflict and Justice from SOAS University of London, bringing more than 30 years of legal practice to the role.

Justice Sharpe-Phiri is already embedded within Seychelles’ judicial framework. She was sworn in as a Non-Residential Justice of Appeal in December 2024, following a recommendation by the Constitutional Appointments Authority. Her familiarity with the Seychellois legal system, combined with her status as a foreign national, places her at the centre of an inquiry requiring credibility and institutional distance.

She is not the only Zambian jurist serving within the Seychelles judiciary. Justice Dominic Luther Yeta Sichinga, SC, was sworn in alongside her in December 2024 as a Non-Residential Justice of Appeal. Their presence reflects judicial ties between the two Commonwealth countries and signals continued collaboration at appellate level.

The Commission is tasked with examining the explosion that struck in the early hours of 7 December 2023, when four containers of explosives detonated at the CCCL facility. The blast was felt across Mahé and prompted then-President Wavel Ramkalawan to declare a state of emergency.

The scale of the damage placed the incident among the most severe industrial disasters in Seychelles’ modern history. Data from the Seychelles Health Care Agency recorded 178 casualties. The impact extended to the business sector, where 642 businesses sustained damage, and to residential areas, where approximately 1,400 residents were affected.

Among housing structures, 43 homes were severely damaged, 118 sustained moderate damage, and 269 required minor repairs. The destruction disrupted both economic activity and community stability across affected areas.

Authorities had raised concerns for nearly a decade about the storage of explosives at the CCCL site. Despite those warnings, the precise cause of the explosion was not publicly established, leaving a gap in official findings and accountability.

In the aftermath, government introduced relief measures to support affected residents and businesses. Even with those interventions, pressure persisted for a transparent accounting of what happened. Nearly a year after the explosion, residents and business owners staged protests, citing the absence of consequences for CCCL and the lack of public disclosure of a police inquiry report submitted to the Attorney General’s Office.

The establishment of the Commission directly addresses those concerns. By appointing an internationally recognised judge from outside Seychelles to lead proceedings, the administration has structured the inquiry to remove any perception of local influence tied to political or commercial interests.

President Herminie, who assumed office on 26 October 2025 following a run-off election, campaigned on commitments centred on justice, transparency and equality. The Commission forms part of that agenda, linking the inquiry process to broader institutional reforms promised during the election period.

For families and businesses still dealing with the consequences of the explosion, the Commission represents a shift from relief to formal accountability. The inquiry is expected to establish the full sequence of events, examine regulatory oversight, and determine responsibility tied to the storage and handling of explosives at the CCCL facility.

Authorities have indicated that the terms of reference and timeline for the Commission will be published in the coming days, setting the framework for hearings, evidence gathering and reporting.

The inquiry places a Zambian appellate judge at the centre of a national investigation into a major industrial disaster, with proceedings expected to address long-standing questions surrounding safety, oversight and accountability.