Two men sentenced for attempted manslaughter
On February 16, 2023 the Court of the First Instance in Bonaire, convicted two men of attempted manslaughter and open violence. They are 19-year-old J.R. and 33-year-old H.A.C. Both men were involved in a fight in the Kaya Grandi, in which the victim sustained serious injuries, which he still suffers from and is unable to work as a result.
In the early morning October 14, 2022, a fight took place between four men in the Kaya Grandi. The cause of this fight was unclear, but those involved had all consumed a lot of alcohol. The images of this fight were mostly shared on social media, which created a sense of outrage and insecurity among the people of Bonaire.
The two half-brothers, 19-year-old J.R. and 33-year-old H.A.C., were suspected of attempted manslaughter and public violence. The victim was kicked several times in the head and is still unable to work due to the injuries sustained.
Both men were convicted of attempted manslaughter. The 19-year-old J.R. was sentenced to 18 months of juvenile detention, much of which was suspended with a probation period of two (2) years. Part of this sentence includes supervision by Probation, attending alcohol and violence prevention training and possible treatment at Mental Health Caribbean (MHC). The 33-year-old H.A.C. was sentenced to five (5) years in prison. He has since appealed this sentence.
The Prosecutor's Office hopes that these sentences will have a preventive effect to stop such "senseless violence" and that the residents of Bonaire can feel safer.