Natalee Holloway: Gang Members Get Arrested in Aruba for Attempted Murder but no Prosecution for Joran Van der Sloot

WHAT MESSAGE IS ARUBA SENDING TO TOURISTS REGARDING JUSTICE?

Even in a gang related attempted murder case in Aruba the judges give light sentences to convicted individuals. The Aruban Public Prosecutor had requested 10 and 6 years of jail time for the attempted murder; however, the judge only gave 8 years and 18 months. More interesting was the statement from the judge regarding sending a message that this type of behavior is not to be accepted or tolerated in Aruba.

The judge is of the opinion that the community must get a clear signal that a shooting between rival gangs on broad daylight, cannot be tolerated. 

I guess the judges feel other crimes in Aruba are okay and should be tolerated. Especially, when the suspects are fellow friends of judges.

So what is the message that Aruba is sending tourists in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway and lack of investigation and prosecution of Joran Van der Sloot? So by not prosecuting someone like Joran Van der Sloot who is an obvious and admitted suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, does that mean that Aruban justice system is sending a “clear signal” that crimes against tourist are tolerated and will go unpunished. That should be a clear message to tourists.

Eight years jail for Macuarima shooting  (Amigoe: 2/25/08)

ORANJESTAD – The two Macuarima-shooting suspects E.J. Lo-A-Njoe and E.J. Thiel are respectively convicted to 8 years and 18 months jail.  The Public Prosecutor (OM) demanded 10 and 6 years jail and is considering appealing the verdict. 

The prosecutor is of the opinion that especially the 18 months conviction of Thiel for accessory to murder is too low.    According to the judge, there is no evidence that Thiel had planned with Lo-A-Njoe to murder someone.  It was not clear either during the trial, whether Thiel knew that his friend had firearms with him.  Thiel was driving, when Lo-A-Njoe pulled two guns and emptied them on a group of young persons, with whom he had a row, and injured two.   One of them lost a kidney.   

The judge considered the murder attempt of Lo-A-Njoe proved.  Lo-A-Njoe had a collision with the group earlier that day.  One of the gang-members showed Lo-A-Njoe his weapon and he felt threatened.  However, the judge didn’t agree with his statement that out of self-defense, he emptied his gun on that same group later.  Lo-A-Njoe went home first to get his guns and then went to look for his enemies.  “Everything points out that he has been looking for the victims”, said the judge.  Besides, even though he hit two persons, he continued shooting until his guns were empty and then started to laugh. 

The judge is of the opinion that the community must get a clear signal that a shooting between rival gangs on broad daylight, cannot be tolerated.  The court nevertheless found 8 years, after deducting the custody, enough for Lo-A-Njoe, who once outside, was greeted by friends.