Arrest warrant out for Suriname’s fugitive ex-president: police

Desi Bouterse is a former strongman who led two coups and also served as an elected president of Suriname until 2020 – Copyright AFP/File Ranu Abhelakh

An arrest warrant has been issued for Suriname’s ex-president Desi Bouterse, who has refused to surrender to start serving a 20-year prison term for the murder of political opponents more than four decades ago, police said Wednesday.

The warrant for the “search and capture” of Bouterse, 78, comes after the South American country’s highest court last month upheld his conviction for the execution of 15 people — lawyers, journalists, businessmen and military personnel — in December 1982, two years after he took power in a coup d’etat.

Bouterse was meant to turn himself in last Friday but after he failed to show up, his wife, Ingrid, told journalists he had no intention of surrendering.

“You all know that this is a political process and we are giving a political answer,” she said.

Bouterse, a former strongman who led two coups and also served as an elected president of the former Dutch colony until 2020, had remained free awaiting the outcome of his case.

He was not in court for the judgment in his appeal hearing, which closed 16 years of criminal proceedings.

Three of four other people found guilty along with him did turn themselves in last week.

Police on Wednesday published an old photo of the ex-president on its website, giving a physical description of his person and asking for information that would lead to his capture.