WILLEMSTAD - Vernond Rombley, a man convicted of armed robbery and murder on Curaçao in 2016, was released from prison early on Friday morning, following a request for early release by his lawyer. Rombley had been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in the 2014 shooting death of a Chinese supermarket owner. He has consistently pledged innocent.
Rombley’s legal team, led by Dutch lawyer Geert-Jan Knoops, filed for a review of the case, arguing that new evidence could potentially exonerate him. The Court of Appeals in Curaçao has instructed the National Forensic Institute (NFI) to investigate whether new facts have emerged that would justify reopening the case. However, no formal decision on the review has been made yet.
The case centers around the 2014 shooting, which resulted in the death of a Chinese businessman at his supermarket. As part of the ongoing investigation, NFI employees conducted a new round of inquiries in October of this year at the location of the shooting. Among the factors they examined were the height and hairstyle of the shooter.
Knoops pointed to video footage showing that the shooter appeared to be shorter than Rombley, with distinct facial features and wearing a hat. According to the defense team, Rombley’s long dreadlocks would not have fit under a hat, further raising doubts about his involvement in the crime. Knoops and his colleagues believe the ongoing investigation will eventually lead to Rombley’s acquittal.
Following his release from the SDKK prison, Rombley was met by family and friends, who gathered outside to welcome him.
His case was the subject of a documentary series produced by the Dutch TV KRO-NCRV last year, in which Rombley repeated his claim of innocence.