MARIGOT--Multiple efforts by The Daily Herald to obtain information on progress concerning the 2024 shooting of Oualichi Movement for Change (OMC) leader Olivier Arrindell in the vicinity of Porto Cupecoy on July 17, during which his wife Sabine was killed and Arrindell himself injured, finally bore fruit on Monday when a prosecutor from the criminal court in Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, familiar with the case, was able to provide a general update.
Deputy Prosecutor Alexandra Onfray confirmed that one person is in custody in Guadeloupe in the case, but said she could only provide general information so as “not to compromise the progress of this complex matter.”
“Close cooperation is being maintained with our Dutch counterparts,” she added. “This requires time, despite the diligence of each party, to transmit requests through diplomatic channels (and not directly as in the standard European framework, due to the status of Sint Maarten), to cross-reference all investigative elements on both sides, and to obtain reciprocal documents.
“Without prejudging future developments in this case, the only competent court for matters of this nature when a French national is to be tried would be the Assize Court of Guadeloupe (Cour d’Assises de Guadeloupe). This would not prevent nationals of other nationalities also involved from being tried on the Dutch side, if necessary.”
On the latter point, she did not say whether more than one suspect was involved in the shooting.
“There is a new turnover with our Dutch-side counterparts this summer which requires us to resume some of the cooperation work initiated by their predecessors. We probably won’t be able to say anything more until the case is nearing closure on our side and sufficiently advanced on the Dutch side.”
The suspect currently held, a French citizen, was arrested on July 22, 2024, confirmed by the Prosecutor’s Office in St. Maarten. Subsequent reports at the time indicated the suspect had petitioned to be released before trial but this was denied.
It is also understood French law does not permit the extradition of French nationals, despite the gravity of a crime committed abroad.
Contacted by this newspaper, Vice Prosecutor Burnichon from the court in St. Martin indicated earlier that with a case of this nature the trial would most certainly be held in Guadeloupe, but had no idea of a time frame for when the trial would take place.
Prosecutor Xavier Sicot, more familiar with cases in Saint-Martin despite being based in Guadeloupe, said the case was out of his jurisdiction. According to Burnichon the case is under the jurisdiction of Prosecutor Caroline Calbo in Pointe-a-Pitre.
Onfray herself did not comment on any possible trial date, given the slow pace at which the French judicial system works, nor did she say whether the shooting was politically or personally motivated. Arrindell has insisted the shooting was politically motivated at a time of pre-election tensions ahead of the August 19 snap election.
“This was a set-up, a premeditated murder, a poorly executed plan for a political assassination,” Arrindell told this newspaper last year after being released from hospital.
