WILLEMSTAD – A 25-year-old Curaçaoan man, Z.J.E. v.d. V., has been sentenced by the Court of Curaçao to five years in prison and mandatory psychiatric detention (TBS) with compulsory treatment. He was found guilty of attempted manslaughter on a woman of Jamaican descent.
The defendant stated that he hates Jamaicans because “they practice black magic.” He attacked the victim near her home on Naniestraat in Otrobanda.
The attack took place on the night of August 6 last year. The man had followed the woman from her workplace, repeatedly confronting her about her ethnicity along the way. When she reached her home, he attacked her from behind, strangled her, and stabbed her in the neck with a knife. The victim managed to escape by biting the attacker’s finger and, despite severe injuries, sought help at a medical clinic. Doctors later confirmed she had suffered serious vascular injuries to her neck.
During the trial, the defendant claimed he acted in self-defense, alleging that the woman had threatened him with a bottle. The court rejected this argument and found attempted manslaughter proven. Based on psychiatric evaluations, the man was diagnosed with severe mental disorders and substance abuse issues, with a high risk of reoffending. As a result, the judge imposed TBS with compulsory treatment in addition to the prison sentence.
The implementation of TBS in Curaçao remains a challenge. The island lacks a specialized forensic psychiatric facility, meaning convicts often remain in regular detention or are transferred to the Netherlands. However, the high costs and limited capacity in Dutch TBS institutions make this difficult. The Netherlands also requires Curaçao to cover the costs, which further complicates the process.