PARAMARIBO, Suriname, CMC – The main opposition National Democratic Party (NDP) Saturday night staged a mass meeting amid reports that the Court of Justice will be delivering its ruling on Wednesday in the case in which its chairman and former president Desi Bouterse have been implicated in the murder of 15 men on December 8, 1982.
On Wednesday, Bouterse urged supporters not to be provoked, saying, “We shouldn’t make a mess.”
In August 2021, the Court Martial of Suriname upheld the 2019 military court ruling of a 20-year jail term on Bouterse following a trial that had been going on for several years.
In 2017, Bouterse and 23 co-defendants appeared in the military court after the Court of Justice had earlier rejected a motion to stop the trial. The former army officers and civilians had been charged with the December 8, 1982, murders of 15 men, including journalists, military officers, union leaders, lawyers, businessmen, and university lecturers.
The prosecution had alleged that the men were arrested on December 7 and 8 nights and transferred to Fort Zeelandia, the then headquarters of the Surinamese National Army. They said the men were tortured and summarily executed.
Bouterse told the meeting that he hoped the judges would use their common sense on Wednesday, maintaining that his case was political and pointing an accusing finger at the Netherlands.
While some in the crowd urged the former military strongman to boycott the ruling on Wednesday, Bourterse told the crowd that the NDP would also be blamed for the present socio-economic state of the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, the elections must go ahead on May 25, 2025.
“Free Bouta! Free Bouta!” they shouted, with Bouterse insisting that he was at peace with himself and declaring his innocence in the case.
“I hope the judge uses his common sense,” he added.
In his address, Bouterse claimed that President Chandrikapersad Santokhi had left the country before Wednesday’s court matter, leaving Vice President Ronnie Brunswick, whom he called the “King,” in charge.
But Santokhi dismissed the allegation, telling reporters that he is in the country and that it is not true that he has gone abroad,
“I have no plans to go abroad in the coming period,” Santokhi said, adding that he is at a loss as to why Bouterse would be making such a statement.
Bouterse also suggested that President Santokhi will tell the Court of Justice “what to do.”
and then  Saturday night staged a mass meeting amid reports that the Court of Justice){kind=link}