The Surinamese former army leader Desi Bouterse was asentenced this morning to 20 years in prison in the resistance case, for his part in the December murders in Suriname. There is no question of capture. Bouterse and his counsel were not present at the hearing.That has just become clear during a session of the court martial in Paramaribo.The Surinamese ex-president was sentenced in absentia to twenty years in prison on November 29, 2019.
After his judgment in absentia, his lawyer Kanhai filed an opposition on December 2.Bouterse had to appear in court for the first time in his resistance case on January 22, 2020. After that session, which he attended in army uniform , he addressed his supporters in Independence Square.The opposition case has been postponed several times because of the pandemic. On July 30, 2021 , the case was conducted in which the Public Prosecution Service and the lawyer spoke to each other.It is expected that Bouterse’s lawyer Irvin Kanhai will appeal against this verdict.
