WILLEMSTAD – A Curaçao police officer who falsified an official police report following the fatal police shooting of 18-year-old Z. Nicasia will be allowed to return to duty after the Joint Court of Justice imposed a significantly lighter sentence on appeal.
The officer, identified in court documents as D.E., was found guilty of deliberately altering information in an official incident report in an effort to protect fellow officers involved in the 2021 shooting. However, the appellate court reduced his punishment and ruled that he has effectively already served the period during which he was barred from performing his duties.
False Information Included in Official Report
At the time of the incident, D.E. served as team leader of the Curaçao Police Force's Special Tasks Unit (UST). Although he was not physically present during the police chase on September 27, 2021, he was responsible for preparing the official report describing what had occurred.
According to the Court, D.E. knowingly wrote that officers had shouted "arma, arma" ("weapon, weapon") before opening fire on a fleeing vehicle. Investigators later determined that the officers had actually shouted "para, para" ("stop, stop").
The Court concluded that the false statement created the impression that the officers had been confronted with an immediate threat involving a weapon and were acting in self-defense when they discharged their firearms.
Judges found that D.E. intentionally distorted the facts in an attempt to shield his colleagues from potential criminal liability.
Court Says Public Trust Was Damaged
In its ruling, the Court stressed the importance of honesty and accuracy in official police documentation.
The judges stated that police officers occupy positions of public trust and that society must be able to rely on the truthfulness of reports prepared by law enforcement officials.
According to the Court, by falsifying the report, D.E. not only undermined confidence in the police force but also contributed to years of uncertainty for the family of the deceased victim regarding the true circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Case Linked to Fatal 2021 Police Chase
The case stems from a police pursuit involving three suspects following an armed robbery at a Chinese-owned business on Dr. Maalweg.
During the chase, which ended in the Hanenberg area, officers opened fire on the fleeing vehicle. Eighteen-year-old Z. Nicasia was fatally struck during the incident.
The shooting generated significant public attention and led to criminal proceedings against three officers involved in the use of force. D.E. was prosecuted separately for falsifying the official report related to the incident.
Sentence Reduced on Appeal
In the original trial, D.E. received a two-month suspended prison sentence and a suspended three-year disqualification from public office.
On appeal, the Joint Court of Justice reduced the sentence to six weeks of suspended imprisonment, an 80-hour community service order, and a suspended professional ban of two years.
The Court took into account that D.E. had already been suspended from duty since March 2024. As a result, he has effectively spent more than two years out of active service.
Because that period exceeds the duration of the professional ban imposed by the Court, the ruling means that D.E. is now eligible to resume his duties with the Curaçao Police Force.
Long-Running Case Nears Conclusion
The ruling marks another chapter in one of Curaçao's most closely watched police cases in recent years.
While the Court confirmed that D.E. abused his position by falsifying an official document, it concluded that a lighter punishment was appropriate under the circumstances.
The decision also means that the officer's suspension has effectively come to an end, clearing the way for his return to the police force after more than two years away from active duty.