Footballer Promes wants to attend appeal trial in NL, but only if he's not arrested

Footballer Quincy Promes (33), who has been convicted in the Netherlands for stabbing his cousin in the knee and cocaine trafficking, wants to make a deal with the Public Prosecution Service (OM). He wants to attend the appeal trial in the cases against him, but only if he’s not arrested once he sets foot in the Netherlands, Promes told RTL Boulevard from Dubai.

Promes has been convicted in two criminal cases in the Netherlands. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stabbing his cousin in the leg at a party in Abcoude in 2020. He was also sentenced to 6 years in prison for directing two shipments of cocaine via the port of Antwerp. Because of these convictions, an international arrest warrant was issued against the footballer, and he will be arrested as soon as he arrives in the Netherlands.

Promes now told RTL that he desperately wants to return to the Netherlands, but he also wants to continue his career. “I’m not going to lie that I miss the Netherlands very much and would like to come back. People have also often said that I am on the run, but I have been trying to contact the justice department for some time to resolve this.”

In the deal he proposed to the OM, Promes said that he would attend the appeal hearings in court. But on the condition that he is not arrested and can therefore return to Dubai to play for his club, Dubai United FC.

“I want to answer for myself in the Netherlands and continue my career,” he said. “And that I can fly back and forth to the Netherlands a few times when I am called up, and then can just continue playing football. That is what I want.”

The OM did not seem enthusiastic about the idea in its response to RTL. “What is most important to the OM at this time is that he has been convicted of serious criminal offenses and that there is an order from the court that he must be detained. The OM finds it important that the order is executed. At this time we say: if he comes ot the Netherlands, he must be detained.”

The first pro-forma hearing in Promes’ appeal is scheduled at the Amsterdam Court of Appeal on Tuesday.