Fmr. Suriname President Desi Bouterse fails to report to prison for 20-year sentence
Former Surinamese president Desi Bouterse, along with four others, was due to report to a Surinamese prison at 1 p.m. Netherlands time on Friday to start a 20-year sentence for his role in the 1982 December Murders. However, his wife Ingrid Waldring-Bouterse informed journalists on Friday that he would not report to prison. This was reported by the NOS correspondent in Suriname.
In response to questions from journalists, his wife then declared that Bouterse was not at home and that she was unaware of his whereabouts. "I don't know that, I don't know that," she said, according to the Suriname newspaper De Ware Tijd. She added that she had no contact with him. What actions the Surinamese Public Prosecution Service (OM) will take next remains unclear.
Last month, Bouterse was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for his involvement in the 1982 December Murders. His co-defendants were sentenced to 15 years in prison.
A total of 15 political opponents to Bouterse's military coup were abducted from their homes in the middle of the night in December 1982. They were brought to Fort Zeelandia in Paramaribo, which Bouterse was using as his administration's headquarters at the time. The victims were all killed.
On Tuesday, the Surinamese Public Prosecution Service rejected a request from Bouterse's new legal team to postpone the start of the sentence for all five defendants. The legal representation demanded an in-depth explanation. They have also petitioned the High Court over the matter, for which they still expect an answer.
This move was perceived in Suriname as a last effort to prevent Bouterse's imprisonment, NOS reported. There are concerns within the country that his conviction and sentencing might lead to unrest.
