PHILIPSBURG--One of the most renowned criminal lawyers in the Netherlands, Inez Weski, represented Urvin Laurens “Nuto” Wawoe during his appeal hearing Thursday at the Joint Court of Justice.

 

In May 2014, Wawoe was sentenced by the Court of First Instance to eight years for cocaine and firearm possession, money-laundering and membership in a criminal organisation.

 

Wawoe (34) was not present for his hearing as he is detained in the Netherlands for safety reasons. A planned video-conference with the suspect fell through because of the time difference. The hearing started at 2:00pm local time (8:00pm in the Netherlands), but the Dutch courts close at 7:00pm. As to not delay the hearing any further, it was decided to continue the hearing in the suspect’s absentia.

 

Wawoe is held in detention in the Netherlands since November 3, 2014.

 

He was flown out after his involvement in a violent incident at Pointe Blanche Prison in which fellow-inmate and “Vesuvius” case convict Carlos Richardson was seriously injured with a machete.

 

The attack was said to have been made in defence of Wawoe, whom Richardson was said to have attacked with a firearm. Richardson was also transferred to a prison in the Netherlands.

 

Wawoe is said to be a member of the Curaçao gang “No Limit Soldiers,” a criminal organisation held responsible for the murder of Pueblo Soberano politician Helmin Wiels in Curaçao.

 

On September 17, 2013, Wawoe was caught in The Keys in the company of three others. A passing police patrol smelled a strong marijuana scent and decided to control three cars that were parked in the area. During the search, 3.8 kilos of cocaine, more than US $25,000 in cash, a small amount of marijuana and two firearms were found.

 

Wawoe’s phone contained pictures of a semi-automatic firearm, two pistols and cartridge holders. He has a history of convictions of violent crimes. In 2004, he was sentenced to 18 months for armed robbery in the Netherlands. Three years later, the Court in Curaçao sentenced him to three years for involvement with theft and firearm possession. In 2011, the Court of First Instance in St. Maarten imposed eight months for firearms.

 

Wawoe denied any involvement in the alleged crimes, but Solicitor-General Taco Stein remained convinced that Wawoe and other No Limit Soldiers had a drug-related appointment in The Keys.

 

Stein said there was sufficient evidence of involvement in the structured trade in hard drugs and of possession of firearms, and asked the Joint Court to sentence Wawoe to six years.

 

Attorney at law Weski made a name for herself defending a large number of suspects in cases of an international nature, which include Suriname’s President Desi Bouterse, alleged Dutch arms dealer Guus Kouwenhoven and No Limit Soldier Shurendy Q. from Curaçao, who stood trial in the Netherlands.

 

The lawyer with the gothic-style look took ample time in “filleting” the Prosecutor’s case against her client. In no less than two hours and thirty minutes, she meticulously pointed out why in her eyes the Prosecutor’s case against Wawoe should be declared inadmissible.

 

Weski said she deemed the search of the cars illegitimate and the police officers’ statements unreliable. The lawyer refuted statements that her client would be a gang member and claimed that No Limit Soldiers was actually a reference to Wawoe’s past as a rapper.

 

Quoting extensively from case law, the Dutch lawyer arrived at the conclusion that Wawoe should be acquitted of all charges. He was held in pre-trial detention for 21 months.

 

Weski disqualified the police work in this case as “from the Middle Ages” and denied her client had ever been involved with drugs. The encounter in The Keys, she said, was nothing more than a couple of guys chilling over cigarettes and a possible joint.

 

In referring to her client’s “miserable” detention situation, the lawyer dismissed the Prosecutor’s six-year demand as “totally out of proportion.” The Joint Court will give its decision June 24.

 

The Daily Herald

 

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