THE BOTTOM/KRALENDIJK-The Court of First Instance of Bonaire has sentenced a man living on Saba to seven years in prison for attempted manslaughter of his ex-girlfriend.
The judge also awarded this ex-girlfriend compensation for damages sustained to the tune of 10.000 dollars.
On September 3, 2022, the suspect hit the victim several times with a machete on various parts of her body, including her head and neck. This resulted in serious injury. According to a press release from the Prosecutor’s Office, it is a miracle the victim survived.
The man’s lawyer had argued that the suspect blacked out due to excessive alcohol consumption, and therefore did not know what he was doing at all. The Defendant also repeatedly said that he could not remember his own actions. The lawyer further ascertained that the victim could not have died from the actions of the accused.
The judge disagreed with the defendant’s lawyers. He ruled that the Defendant had not blacked out and was indeed aware of what he had done.
Message
“This is a message for anyone who could be a victim of domestic violence. Such violence is rarely a one-off and usually escalates in frequency and severity. Domestic violence can result in serious bodily harm or death. If you are a victim of domestic violence, report it to the authorities (e.g. the police). Even when it comes to someone close to you”, according to the Prosecutor’s spokesperson.
