On Friday, a judge in Curaçao imposed a 30-year prison sentence on former finance minister George Jamaloodin for provoking the murder of 54-year-old politician Helmin Wiels. The sentence is higher than the 28 years that Jamaloodin previously received from a judge.
Wiels was shot dead on May 5, 2013 when he went to a beach in Willemstad without security guards. He had been under security for some time due to serious threats.
Jamaloodin was minister in Gerrit Schotte’s cabinet between 2010 and 2012. His half-brother is the locally renowned gambling boss Robbie dos Santos. Wiels may have been a target because he was researching lottery sales in Curaçao.
The defense of the former minister, including the Dutch lawyer Stijn Franken, reacted disappointed to the verdict and announced that they would appeal in cassation. According to the defense, there is no evidence of Jamaloodin’s involvement. Jamaloodin himself denies any involvement in the murder. The judge weighed heavily in his judgment that this was a political murder.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, the main people involved in the murder have now been detained. For example, Curaçaoan Elvis Kuwas is serving a life sentence for various murders, including the one on Wiels. Burney ‘Nini’ Fonseca, also from the island, has been held for 26 years for arranging the murder.
Helmin Wiels was the head of the Pueblo Soberano, the largest government party at the time of the murder. This photo was taken six months before his death.
Helmin Wiels was the head of the Pueblo Soberano, the largest government party at the time of the murder. This photo was taken six months before his death. Photo: ANP
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