7 years imprisonment for attempted homicide
On February 8, 2023, Bonaire's Court of First Instance sentenced a Saba resident to seven (7) years in prison for attempted homicide against his ex-girlfriend who had thrown him out of her home a few days earlier, after the prosecutor had sought eight years. The judge also awarded his ex-girlfriend compensatory damages.
On September 3, 2022, the suspect struck the victim multiple times with a machete on various parts of her body, including her head and neck. This resulted in severe injuries. It is a miracle that the victim survived. According to the judge, this constitutes attempted manslaughter, which was also contended by the prosecutor. The defense argued, that the suspect blacked out due to excessive alcohol consumption and therefore did not know what he was doing at all. The suspect also repeatedly said, that he could not remember his own actions. She also argued, that the victim could not have died because of the defendant's actions and the injuries she sustained as a result. The judge disagreed. He ruled that the suspect had not blacked out and was well aware of what he had done.
The ex-girlfriend submitted a claim for non-material damages of $10,000. The judge awarded that claim in full.
A message for anyone who might be a victim of domestic violence. Such violence is rarely a one-time event and usually escalates in frequency and severity. Domestic violence can result in serious physical injury or death. If you are a victim of domestic violence, report it to the authorities (e.g., the police). Likewise, if it involves someone close to you.
Included in the verdict is also a second incident, namely the insulting of three police officers The suspect denied that he was the one who uttered the insult, but the judge ruled that the official reports of the police officers provided convincing evidence.