COURT REJECTS BOUTERSE'S PRE-TRIAL OBJECTIONS IN

UNCLAS PARAMARIBO 000118 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - LLUFTIG PORT OF SPAIN FOR LEGATT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM PHUM NS SUBJECT: COURT REJECTS BOUTERSE'S PRE-TRIAL OBJECTIONS IN DECEMBER MURDER CASE, APPEAL EXPECTED REFTEL: (A) 05 PARAMARIBO 234 ¶1. (SBU) On February 24 the military court in the high stakes 1982 December murder case formally rejected all pre- trial objections submitted by convicted drugs trafficker and former military dictator Desi Bouterse and several other suspects in the case. Defense lawyers have already indicated they plan to appeal, which they must do within six calendar days of the decision. Based on the court's lengthy handling of the objections (they were initially submitted nearly a year ago),the appeals process will likely last several months, pushing a potential trial into the second half of this year. (See ref A). The pending trial is for the December 8, 1982 murder of 15 prominent Surinamers opposed to Bouterse's military rule. BARNES