Tweet

PARAMARIBO, Jan 12 (Times Caribbean) — Surinamese authorities are on the hunt for former President Desi Bouterse after he failed to surrender for a prison sentence related to the execution of 15 activists in 1982. Despite a three-judge panel affirming the convictions in December, the 78-year-old ex-leader, along with four others, faces a renewed legal pursuit.

While a court ordered Bouterse to report to jail this week, defiance emerged from his wife, Ingrid Bouterse-Waldring, stating, “He’s not going to turn himself in.” Lawyer Irvin Kanhai, representing some of the convicted, expressed uncertainty about Bouterse’s compliance with the law.

Bouterse, a dominant figure in Surinamese politics until 2020, denies the charges but was sentenced to 20 years in prison. The public prosecutor’s office initiated a search for those yet to report to the penal institution, emphasizing adherence to the order for sentence execution.

Advocates, including Sunil Oemrawsingh and international observers, anticipate Bouterse’s evasion but emphasize the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law. Reed Brody, a lawyer monitoring the case for the International Commission of Jurists, commended the authorities’ determination to enforce the arrest warrant.

President Chan Santokhi, who previously investigated the case as a police commissioner, has remained steadfast in pushing for justice. The 2019 court ruling established Bouterse’s oversight of an operation that led to the abduction and murder of 16 government critics.

Bouterse, who seized power in a 1980 coup, contends that the victims were connected to an invasion plot involving the Netherlands and the United States. On Friday, a spokesperson for Bouterse’s party accused both countries of attempting interference once again, adding another layer of complexity to the unfolding legal drama.