Controversy as Bouterse grants pardon to foster son

(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – In a presidential resolution, President Desi Bouterse has granted a pardon to Romano Meriba, who had been sentenced to 15 years in prison for manslaughter. Sources claim that Meriba is a former foster son of the President, but the President’s Office denies this factor has played a role in the decision to grant a pardon. Eugene van der San, head of the President’s Office, says this was done based on strong legal grounds. In reaction, former Justice and Police Minister Chandrikapersad Santokhi says, “This would never have happened while we were in office. Those who have taken the lives of others deserve no pardon.” Santokhi adds there might be circumstances that would lead to a different decision. “The requirement is, however, that a thorough preliminary investigation must be conducted and a decision should be based on the advice by the judge who passed the sentence in question. Otherwise you will create a precedent for prisoners with similar convictions who would then appeal to the equality principle.” The President has stated previously that he would not pardon prisoners who have been convicted of murder. Van der San says the President has no changed his mind, but in this case the charge was manslaughter, not murder. “We did not ask the judge who passed the sentence for advice, as this involves a collective pardon. Meriba was part of this collective pardon”, Van der San says. “In a petition, Meriba’s lawyer stated that he had already filed an appeal in 2005, but this petition was not addressed within a reasonable term.” Meriba was sentenced to 15 years for attempted robbery, throwing a grenade at the residence of the former Dutch Ambassador and robbery with murder. The lawyer claims that the reasonable term has been exceeded and that his client was not eligible for a pardon on three earlier occasions due to the long wait for his appeal to be heard. “This has adverse consequences for him”, the petition states. Two criminal lawyers who do not wish to be named think it is important to know what preparatory work has led the President to make this decision. “The sentence was not imposed just like that and you can only nullify it after careful consideration. Social order should be considered, as well as the surviving relatives. As an average citizen, I was somewhat surprised when reading this article”, the lawyers say.