WILLEMSTAD – A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to two years in juvenile detention for the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Alex Coffie at a trùk di pan in the Dein neighborhood late last year.
The court handed down the sentence despite the Public Prosecution Service (OM) seeking a 12-year prison term.
The defendant, identified as Judrick C., argued during the trial that he acted in self-defense. However, the court found no evidence to support that claim and held him responsible for the fatal shooting.
In determining the sentence, the court took several mitigating factors into account. Judges noted that the young offender expressed remorse during the proceedings and personally asked the victim's mother for forgiveness.
Psychological evaluations presented to the court concluded that Judrick C. suffers from serious behavioral problems and a mild intellectual disability. Mental health experts unanimously recommended that he receive treatment within the juvenile justice system, warning that a lengthy prison sentence among adult inmates could permanently undermine his prospects for rehabilitation.
Based on those recommendations, the court opted to impose a juvenile sanction rather than an adult prison sentence.
Judrick C. will serve his sentence at the Juugd Justitiële Inrichting Curaçao (JJIC), the island's juvenile detention facility, where he will also receive treatment aimed at reducing the risk of reoffending.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the court ordered the defendant to pay 22,000 guilders (ANG) in compensation to the victim's surviving relatives.
The fatal shooting occurred at a trùk di pan in the Dein neighborhood, where Alex Coffie lost his life. The case drew significant public attention because of the victim's young age and renewed concerns about gun violence involving young people on Curaçao.