Bouterse denies nominating own judges

(De Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – President Desi Bouterse strongly denies he has nominated his own judges on the Court Martial. Yesterday, Major John Jones and Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Li Fo Sjoe were nominated by the President and installed as military judges. One of them will later on be added to the military room to act as judge in the 8 December Trial in which Bouterse is the main suspect. Bouterse does not think there is a conflict of interest situation, stressing that it his task as President to nominate judges but that the selection procedure is done by others. Court Martial-President Cynthia Valstein-Montnor neither doubts the independence of the new military judges, stressing that she sees a clear distinction between the separation of powers.