Jan 8, 2024 at 8:04 PM Update: 22 minutes ago
A new legal team asked the Surinamese Public Prosecution Service (OM) on Monday to postpone the sentence against Desi Bouterse and four co-convicts. The five ex-soldiers heard a twenty-year prison sentence for their role in the December murders.
The five lawyers say that they are authorized by Bouterse and his four co-convicts, writes the Surinamese newspaper the True Time.
It seems that lawyer Irvin Kanhai has been sidetracked. Kanhai has assisted Bouterse in this case for more than sixteen years.
According to the lawyers, the Court of Justice did not take into account a letter from the military prosecutor in 2016 when it handed down the verdict on December 20. It pointed out a possible consequence of a controversial amnesty law. The Court of Justice would thus have confirmed a judgment that was not valid.
The request comes on the last day that Bouterse’s lawyer Kanhai could have asked for a pardon. He was not in favor of that.
The Public Prosecution Service says it is reviewing the petition. It was to consult with the convicts and their lawyer this week about the capture. It is not certain whether that consultation will be postponed. According to the spokesperson, the press will be informed about this.
The December murders
On December 8, 1982, fifteen lawyers, journalists, soldiers, university teachers, a trade union leader and a businessman were tortured and executed. Bouterse was at that time leader of the military regime in Suriname.
Image: ANP
Read more about:
Desi BouterseDecember murdersSuriname
2024-01-08 19:04:45
#Bouterse #requests #postponement #prison #sentence #lawyers
