Lawyer Spong: Bouterse’s Conviction was to be Expected

The conviction of former president Desi Bouterse of Suriname for his involvement in the December murders was to be expected. So says lawyer Gerard Spong. “The expectation has come true.”

Born in Suriname, Spong lost friends and colleagues during the murders in Fort Zeelandia in 1982 and is an expert on Surinamese law.

“I expected this. It was already based on an extensive judgment in absentia with 56 pieces of evidence. There was no way to get it.”

Spong expects Bouterse to appeal but calls this “deferral of execution”. The Dutch lawyer has campaigned on behalf of the relatives since 2000 for the trial of Bouterse.