President James Michel has appointed Mrs. Samia Govinden (née Andre) as the second female Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court on the recommendation of the Constitutional Appointments Authority, with effect from 18th February 2015.

Mrs Govinden was sworn into office at a ceremony held at State House this morning, which was presided by the President of the Republic, Mr James Michel. The ceremony was attended by Vice-President Danny Faure, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Patrick Herminie, the President of the Court of Appeal, Francis MacGregor, the Acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Mr Duraikannu Karunakaran, the Attorney General, Ronny Govinden, judges and justices of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, the Registrar of the Supreme Court, as well as members of the Constitutional Appointments Authority.

President Michel expressed his congratulations to Judge Govinden  and noted that her expertise would undoubtedly contribute to the improvement of the Seychelles judiciary.

Mrs Samia Govinden, who is aged 42, is now the third female judge in the Seychelles judiciary, after the appointment of the first female Seychellois Justice of Appeal, Mrs Mathilda Twomey, and the first female judge of the Supreme Court, Mrs. Fiona Robinson.

Mrs. Govinden obtained a Bachelor of Laws with Honours from the University of Mauritius, and completed her Bar Finals before returning to Seychelles in 2001. She has recently enrolled for her Master’s Degree with specialisation in family law.

Mrs. Govinden started her legal career as a State Counsel, and later served as Senior State Counsel in the Department of Legal Affairs.  In 2004, Mrs Govinden was appointed as the Registrar General in the same Department.

Mrs Govinden is not new to the Judiciary.  In 2006 she was appointed as Magistrate, and was promoted to Senior Magistrate in 2008.  She has been presiding over the Juvenile Court and the Rent Board, and she is also the Vice-Chairperson of the Family Tribunal.

In her remarks to the press after the ceremony, Judge Govinden said that she feels very proud as a Seychelloise to be part of the judiciary and to discharge her functions as a judge of the Supreme Court. Adding that she is looking forward for any challenges, ready to take up any cases allocated to her by the Acting Chief Justice. She said she hoped to deliver just as well as she had done in past nine and half years in the magistracy.