On June 5, a key political and legal development unfolded in Suriname, where the country’s national legislature, De Nationale Assemblee (DNA), voted to greenlight prosecution requests from the nation’s prosecutor-general against three former cabinet ministers — a move that clears the way for formal criminal proceedings to move forward under the nation’s law for prosecuting political officeholders.
Among those facing prosecution is Bronto Somohardjo, a former government minister who currently leads the Pertjajah Luhur (PL) political party. In an extraordinary turn of proceedings, Somohardjo cast his own vote in support of the prosecution request filed against him, a choice he says aligns with his long-held stance rejecting political immunity from legal process.
In comments to local outlet Starnieuws following the vote, Somohardjo made clear he is fully prepared for the next phase of legal process. “I am ready for any outcome,” he stated. The party leader explained that his vote was a natural extension of his public commitment that he would never seek political protection from investigation or prosecution. “Let no one ever claim that Bronto Somohardjo sought protection or ran from this process. I have shown up, and I am ready to accept whatever consequences come,” he added.
Somohardjo emphasized that parliamentary approval of the prosecution request does not mark the end of the matter for him. He argued that in a functioning democratic constitutional state, accountability must be required not only of individual politicians, but also of state institutions. He reaffirmed his commitment to continuing advocacy for equal legal protection, government transparency, equal treatment under the law, and universal accountability for all public actors.
Alongside Somohardjo, DNA approved prosecution requests against two other former ministers: Riad Nurmohamed and Gillmore Hoefdraad. The parliamentary approval meets all requirements laid out in Suriname’s Wet In Staat van Beschuldigingstelling Politieke Ambtsdragers (WIPA), the law governing prosecution of sitting and former political officeholders, and now allows the Public Prosecution Service to move forward with formal criminal procedures.
DNA Speaker Ashwin Adhin confirmed to Starnieuws that legislative staff are already preparing formal notification of the parliamentary approval to the Public Prosecution Service. Once that notification is received, the prosecution service can advance the process according to statutory guidelines.
An unusual procedural detail marked Thursday’s vote: the presiding role was not filled by Speaker Adhin, but by assembly member Ivanildo Plein, the first alternate deputy speaker. Adhin had previously announced he would abstain from the vote and leave the chamber ahead of voting. Since DNA rules require all participating members to cast either a yes or no vote with no option to abstain while retaining the chair, Adhin transferred presiding duties to Plein.
Plein, who also served on the special parliamentary committee that reviewed the prosecution requests, chose to forgo his scheduled speaking slot before the vote. He explained this decision was necessary to keep the proceeding on schedule. If he had taken the floor to speak after Adhin left the chamber, he would have been unable to continue presiding, forcing a delay to the entire vote. Second alternate deputy speaker Rossellie Cotino was absent from the session, while ABOP party faction leader and current Deputy Speaker Ronnie Brunswijk delivered the faction’s address on behalf of his group instead.
In a formal statement released after the vote, the Public Prosecution Service stressed that parliamentary approval of the prosecution request does not equate to a finding of guilt. Final judgment on the facts of each case and any determination of criminal liability remains the exclusive responsibility of the judiciary. Once ongoing investigations are completed, the cases will be submitted to the Court of Justice in accordance with all applicable legal procedures.