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Michael Lopez: The Department of Justice at this time does not have any basis to request prolongation of his detention |
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Sunday, 14 August 2011 13:10 |
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As you know our client G.G. was detained on the 5 th of August at the airport in Aruba and charged with assassination/homicide of his friend L.R.G.. Today, 9 days later, 4 voluntary interviews, 2 site visits, and more than 30 statements coming from different sources including witnesses and professionals, we can not deduce that there is hard proof to sustain a demand by the public prosecutor against our client.
To date, our client has given all possible cooperation to the investigation. Where our client has been asked the same question more than once he referred to previous statements. From that moment the public prosecutor emitted a press release stating that client refused to cooperate. Based on that alone the public prosecutor took the remarkable step of publicizing the picture of client in the local and international media with the intention to let anyone with any kind of information regarding our client to come forth. This act seems very strange to us taking into consideration that the spokesmen for the public prosecution stated during an interview on local ATV Channel 15 that all statements will be taken with a grain of salt. We note that doing this without any kind of proof that the client has committed a crime will damage his good name and jeopardize his company in the States. This can lead to substantial damages.
It has come to our attention that the public prosecution has opened a more detailed judicial investigation. It has also been brought to our attention that a legal request of assistance was asked for the United States to investigate the client there. Until a few days prior to their trip to Aruba our client did not know anything about Aruba. It was when his friend asked him to take her out of the States he surfed on the internet to a travel website and booked two tickets to Aruba. We have noticed that the public prosecution has done extensive investigations. On several occasions the client had to correct the investigators when they where doing their investigation in an incorrect location behind the Nanki Club. Yesterday, we took notice of an investigation into wells in the Seroe Colorado area. It was remarkable that the investigators had to make use of machetes to clear the area of plants to reach the wells. In anticipation of any possible reason of prolongation of the client's detention, we can state that no felony has been committed by him. Based on the request of legal assistance, the client who resides in the United States can always be extradited back to Aruba in case any legal proof shows up. The client has his own business and family in the United States.
He has no reason whatsoever to obstruct any investigation. It has been reported that all relevant material has already been confiscated from his home and business in the United States. Client has given all possible cooperation to date regarding the investigation. The Department of Justice at this time does not have any basis to request prolongation of his detention. Therefore, although Aruba as a member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and its laws allow for lengthy detentions before proof of criminal action is obtained, there is no reason for the client's detention. Consideration must also be taken in the realm of human rights which we feel are being abused in the area of his detention.
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