Former Surinamese President Desi Bouterse failed to present himself to prison, following his conviction for the 1982 December murders that resulted in the death of 15 political dissenters. While the current location of Bouterse remains uncertain, the situation has escalated with a search mandate issued by the Public Prosecution service.
In a surprising turn of events, Ingrid Bouterse-Waldring, the former Surinamese first lady and wife of Bouterse, held a press conference earlier that day. She reiterated her continued support towards Bouterse and the National Democratic Party (NDP), which Bouterse chaired during his presidency between 2010 and 2020. Mrs. Bouterse-Waldring indicated doubt about her husband surrendering himself to the authorities while claiming to be in the dark about his whereabouts. She additionally propagated his controversial amnesty law and alleged political motivations, blaming the Dutch government for the convictions.
It must be noted that Bouterse was one of the four individuals convicted of the December murders. The trio, apart from Bouterse, turned themselves in on Friday. The ongoing efforts by Suriname’s Public Prosecution Service are directed towards locating not only Bouterse but also his ex-bodyguard, Iwan Dijksteel, who similarly failed to report.