WILLEMSTAD - The Curaçao lottery boss Robbie dos Santos was released from prison today. Dos Santos remains a suspect of involvement in organizing the murder of politician Helmin Wiels in 2013. Dos Santos was detained for a month.

The lawyers of Dos Santos, the Curaçao lawyer Eldon Sulvaran and Stijn Franken, former lawyer of the Dutch criminal Willem Holleeder, had pleaded with the court in Curaçao on Thursday to release Dos Santos pending trial. The lottery boss employees had demonstrated in recent days for his release.

The Curaçao Public Prosecution Service suspects Dos Santos of ordering his half-brother, former finance minister George Jamaloodin, to have Wiels killed. In August, that half-brother was sentenced to 28 years in prison for "provoking the murder" of Wiels.

Wiels was shot on May 5, 2013. He was then political leader of the Pueblo Soberano party (Independent People). Wiels conducted research into, among other things, lottery sales in Curaçao. The murder may have been connected with that.