Suspect, Rayan P., Arrested on Suspicion of Kidnapping Marlies van der Kouwen … Suspect Interrogated

On Friday afternoon, the police in Bonaire arrested Rayan P. on suspicion of kidnapping in the disappearance of Marlies van der Kouwen. Marlies van der Kouwe was reportedly kidnapped by man on a scooter. During the search a scooter was taken in at the Kaya Mgr. Niewindt, in the garden of relatives of the suspect. Will Bonaire solve this case and find the missing girl is a professional and competent manner or will this be another case like in Aruba with a carousel of arrests and witnesses?

There has been a search at the Kaya Kamari, Kaya Wanapa and Kaya Amazona. Later on in the evening, a scooter was taken in at the Kaya Mgr. Niewindt, in the garden of relatives of the suspect. There has been no trace of the Dutch woman since her disappearance on Sunday night. She was kidnapped by a man on a motor or scooter when she was cycling on her way to her apartment at Hato. The painstaking search still continues. According to unconfirmed reports, Rayan P. was released from prison a month ago. In 2002 he was convicted to eight years for raping a woman at Belnem, on Bonaire. P. was arrested while a press conference of the police was going on in the building of the Island Council. Public Prosecutor David van Delft had apologized for his absence. Lieutenant governor Herbert Domacassé would hold a national oration at eleven o’clock this morning.

On Wednesday afternoon at around six o’clock a kidnapping attempt of an eight year old girl took place who was dragged off her bicycle by a man, who then walked off with her. The girl was able to get away and go home. The police acted immediately. Going on the description, a 35-year old man from Kralendijk was arrested within fifteen minutes and detained for further investigation.

UPDATE I: Suspect in the Disappearance of Marlies van der Kouwen Interrogated

Rayan P., the suspect in the disappearance of a Dutch female, Marlies van der Kouwen, was questioned by police as further searches were done to locate evidence and the missing woman.

KRALENDIJK — The team of investigation has started with the interrogation of the 24-year old Rayan P., who’s being suspected of involvement in the disappearance of the Dutch Marlies van der Kouwen

The examining judge has placed the suspect into custody on Friday.  P. was arrested on Thursday.  Four houses were searched, of which three are where the suspect supposedly stays and one where a scooter was found.  “The police confiscated several things and also the scooter, which is being investigated for tracks”, says Chief of Police John Schagen.

Two other searches were conducted on Friday, and in addition to that, search operations with three tracker dogs in the course of the afternoon yesterday.  They did this in the area where Marlies disappeared in the night of Saturday to Sunday.  One of the tracker dogs is from the police corps in Curacao and the other two are from the Dutch Corps National Police Services.  The search operation continues today.

“The investigation-team and the Public Prosecutor received dozens of tips in the past few days, including some very usable, which are being investigated.  It doesn’t matter what the tip is, each single one is welcome.  People that think that they have information that may have to do with the case, are incited to report this to the detective service via telephone number 717-8555, or 911, which is in operation 24 hours a day”, says Schagen.

UPDATE II: Dutch Deputy Minister for Kingdom Relations Ank Bijleveld will visit the Netherlands Antilles this week

Dutch Deputy Minister for Kingdom Relations Ank Bijleveld will visit the Netherlands Antilles this week. She will ask for information about the result of an investigation into the disappearance on Bonaire of the 24-year-old Dutch woman Marlies van der Kouwe, who was working on the island as a trainee pharmacist assistant.

The disappearance of Ms Van der Kouwe is causing considerable concern with the Antillean authorities. It is reminiscent of the case of Natalee Holloway, who disappeared while on holiday on Aruba.

UPDATE III:  Still no trace of Marlies van der Kouwe

Searches turn up no leads in the disappearance of Marlies van der Kouwe.

Nothing is being said about the case since the last press conference of Friday afternoon.  Late in the afternoon on Saturday, police officers went in the direction of a kunuku in Mexico where there is a garbage dump and searched the area.  On Sunday early in the morning they searched the area north of Antriol.  They have been digging, but didn’t say what they were looking for and why at that location.  The police have closed off the dirt roads that lead to that location, so they can do the work.  The investigation continues today.

Marlies van der Kouwe was pulled from her bike around 01:30 on Sunday morning and taken along on a scooter.  Ryan P. was arrested on Thursday as a suspect in the case and placed in custody on Friday by the examining magistrate.  Rumour has it that the suspect is talking and confessed that he has contact with Marlies.