Mauritius frees suspected pirates

Release is a blow to anti-piracy efforts. 

Mauritius frees suspected Somali pirates

Antananarivo – Twelve Somali men tried for piracy were acquitted Thursday in Mauritius for lack of evidence, court officials said.

“The prosecution did not provide enough evidence to prove the guilt of the accused,” magistrate Wendy Rangan said, ending a year-long trial that began in October 2013.

The 12 men, aged between 20 and 45, were accused of attacking the Panamanian-flagged container ship MSC Jasmine in the Indian Ocean in January 2013, before being captured by European naval forces and transferred to Mauritius for trial.

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Source: iol.co.za