WILLEMSTAD – The Gemeenschappelijk Hof van Justitie has sentenced Quincley Poppen (31) to 16 years in prison for his role in a fatal armed robbery at a Chinese minimarket in Curaçao in 2013.
The ruling brings closure to a case that shocked the island at the time, occurring just four days after the assassination of Helmin Wiels, during a period of heightened social unrest.
The court found Poppen guilty of manslaughter, armed robbery resulting in death, and illegal possession of a firearm. While he had previously been sentenced to 18 years in prison, the court reduced the sentence to 16 years after determining that premeditation could not be proven. However, judges concluded that Poppen knowingly accepted the risk that his actions could result in a fatal outcome.
The robbery took place on May 9, 2013, at the Hua Jiant minimarket along the Oude Caracasbaaiweg, near Janwé. Around 10:00 a.m., two men entered the store and announced a robbery. Poppen pointed a firearm at shop owner Yinghua Wu, while his accomplice took cash and prepaid cards.
The situation escalated within moments when Wu’s wife attempted to resist using a bar stool, leading to a struggle. Surveillance footage showed Poppen briefly leaving the store before returning with the weapon still in hand. A shot was fired shortly afterward, striking Wu in the upper body. He died at the scene from severe internal injuries.
Poppen claimed the gun discharged accidentally during the altercation. The court did not fully dismiss that possibility but ruled it was not decisive. By re-entering the store with a loaded weapon in an already violent situation, Poppen had, according to the judges, consciously accepted the likelihood that someone could be killed.
Following the robbery, Poppen fled and remained at large for several years, living under a different identity. He was convicted in absentia in 2018 but was only arrested in 2024 after being linked to another case. The court considered his prolonged evasion of justice and lack of accountability as aggravating factors.
In determining the sentence, the court emphasized the severity of the crime and its lasting impact on the victim’s family. Wu was killed in front of his wife, causing significant and enduring trauma. The broader societal tension at the time also formed part of the context.
The sentence was reduced in part because Poppen was 18 years old at the time of the crime.
In addition to the prison term, Poppen has been ordered to pay nearly 17,000 guilders in compensation to the victim’s relatives, covering funeral expenses, stolen money, and material damages.