President James Michel has sent a message of condolences to the Sauzier family, following the passing away of André Sauzier, former Justice of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal of Seychelles, yesterday afternoon.

"It is with profound sadness that I have learnt of the death of your husband Justice André Sauzier. I join with so many others who knew and respected Judge Sauzier in offering my deepest sympathy to you, your children and all your relatives," said Mr Michel in a letter to his widow, Mrs Michelle Sauzier.

"While words alone can never assuage the personal sense of grief and loss that you and your family are feeling, I hope it may provide some measure of consolation to witness the respect, reverence and love in which Justice Sauzier was held.  I wish to add my voice, and that of the Government and people of Seychelles to this chorus that celebrates Justice Sauzier’s life."

President Michel said that  in the coming days, Justice Sauzier will have many richly deserved tributes paid to his memory, celebrating his achievements and reflecting his personal integrity.

He said that Justice Sauzier, who was born in Mauritius, undertook to develop the rich jurisprudence of the country he adopted as his own.

"He was formidable in his perspicacity, clarity, fairness and impartiality both in criminal and civil cases. He never sought the limelight but sought to do justice in his own quiet, inimitable and efficient way. Justice Sauzier was highly respected and not a day goes by in the Seychelles courts without one of his judgments being cited."

The President ended his message by saying Justice Sauzier will be sadly missed in Seychelles, but that his legacy will live on.

Justice Sauzier passed away at the age of 90.

During his career in Seychelles, he was appointed the Attorney General in  1955, where he served 15 years until retirement in 1970.

In March 1970 he was appointed puisne judge of the Seychelles Supreme Court. On several occasions, he acted as the Chief Justice when the substantive Chief Justice was not in Seychelles.

He retired from the post of Supreme Court Judge in 1982. In 1983 he was a he was appointed to the bench of Court of Appeal, where he served until his retirement from the Judiciary in 1987.

In 1992 he was appointed as Registrar of Political Parties as well as Director of Elections for the elections to determine the composition of the Seychelles Constitutional Commission which were held in July 1992.  He stayed in these roles for the first referendum for the constitution in November 1992, and then resigned in May 1993.