Three men sentenced for murder of Dutch Marechaussee officer in Curaçao
A court in Curaçao sentenced three men to prison on Wednesday for the killing of Dutch Royal Marechaussee officer Toon Brood during a home invasion last year. The sentences ranged from 16 to 26 years, lower than the prosecution had requested.
The court found Amon F., 20, guilty of murder and sentenced him to 26 years in prison, two years less than the 28-year term prosecutors had sought. Aivano M., 23, who fired the fatal shots, received an 18-year sentence instead of the requested 20 years. Claverzjion N., 26, was sentenced to 16 years, two years below the prosecution's demand.
A fourth defendant, Glennson Z., 27, who drove the group to Brood’s house, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, with six months suspended and a three-year probation period. Prosecutors had asked for a five-year sentence. The court ruled that Z. was not an accomplice to the murder but had participated in the robbery.
On the night of May 31, 2023, Brood, an adjutant and border security team leader with the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, was sitting on the veranda of his home with his wife, Sonja. When he heard a noise inside the house, he went to investigate and was confronted by three intruders. A struggle ensued, during which one of the intruders shot him.
Sonja was held at gunpoint and prevented from aiding her husband. The intruders ransacked the house, stealing valuables before fleeing in a stolen vehicle. The couple’s 11-year-old son remained in his bedroom, pretending to be asleep while one of the assailants searched. The judge described the perpetrators’ actions as “merciless.”
Authorities quickly identified the suspects using surveillance footage and intercepted phone calls. The Coast Guard’s Criminal Intelligence Unit helped confirm Claverzjion N.'s identity. Recorded conversations between N. and his mother suggested he was aware of the incriminating footage.
The court based its sentencing decisions on guidelines for similar cases but did not elaborate on why the penalties were lower than the prosecution’s requests. The four defendants appeared in court wearing prison uniforms, with their feet shackled and heads bowed as the verdicts were read.
A group of 15 Royal Marechaussee officers attended the hearing. One of them expressed disappointment over the reduced sentences. “Lower sentences or not, we will not get our colleague back,” the officer said.
