SURINAME | Former President Desi Bouterse convicted of Murder

PARAMARIBO, Suriname, December 21, 2023 - After nearly two decades of legal proceedings, Desi Bouterse, the former president and military leader of Suriname, has been convicted of murder in a landmark decision.

 This ruling, following three trials, culminated in a twenty-year prison sentence for Bouterse's role in the notorious December 8, 1982, massacre. 

The conviction, affirmed by the Court of Justice after Bouterse's appeals, marks the culmination of a sixteen-year criminal trial, with the verdict bringing solace to the victims' families present at the hearing.

Bouterse, who faced legal action twice before - in November 2019 and August 2021 - by the Court Martial, remained absent from the final sentencing. 

His absence followed calls from his political party, NDP, advising him to avoid the court proceedings. 

The trial, led by sub-district judge Dinesh Sewrattan, also involved sentencing of co-accused former army officers Ernst Geffery, Benny Brondenstein, Stephanus Dendoe, and Iwan Dijksteel, each receiving a 15-year sentence due to their subordinate role in the crimes.

The charges against Bouterse and his co-conspirators revolved around their involvement in the orchestration and execution of an operation on December 7 and 8, 1982. 

During this time, sixteen critics of Bouterse's military regime were arrested and taken to Fort Zeelandia, the then-military headquarters, where all but one were killed. 

The final ruling in this prolonged case signals an end to one of Suriname's most drawn-out and contentious legal battles.