WILLEMSTAD - The police officer who shot a man in the garden of a house on Kaya Timicuan on December 11, 2018, will not face prosecution. The Public Prosecutor's Office announced this almost five years after the incident. The spokesperson for the Public Prosecutor's Office stated that the delay was due to a backlog at the National Detective Agency.
The man, a 34-year-old resident of Curaçao at the time, was hit by a police bullet in his upper body but survived the incident. Upon arrival at the crime scene, the police found a man in the garden of the house and observed that the door had been forced open and a window was broken.
The police then arrested the suspect for attempted theft. During the arrest, the police fired a shot. The police also arrested a woman who was waiting outside the garden in a car for the suspect.
National Detective Agency
On the orders of the Public Prosecutor's Office, the National Detective Agency of Curaçao conducted an investigation into this shooting incident. According to the National Detective Agency, the conducted investigation did not provide sufficient evidence to prosecute the police officer for a criminal offense. Therefore, he will not be prosecuted.
No further information has been provided regarding the reason for the officer to shoot. The shooting instructions of the Curaçao police prohibit, in short, the use of the service weapon unless there is a threat to the lives of the police or the surrounding environment.
The National Detective Agency of Curaçao is an independent investigative agency with a specific task. It focuses on investigating crimes committed by (semi-)government officials. The National Detective Agency primarily operates in the area of criminal behavior that seriously affects the integrity of the administration of justice and the integrity of public governance.