WILLEMSTAD - In addition to the former director of the Curaçao Security Service (VDC) Edsel Gumbs, J. Bautisma was also summoned as a witness during the appeal in the Maximus case. Bautisma is the brother of Luigi "Pretu" Florentina who was a suspect in the murder of Helmin Wiels.
Bautisma and Luigi have the same mother. Pretu died while behind bars. He would have hanged himself in his cell.
Bautisma was called as a witness at the request of the defense of former minister George Jamaloodin. The defense had questions about Pretu's activities, among other things. Jamaloodin's lawyer wanted to know if Bautisma was aware that his brother was making his money from criminal activities.
Bautisma says Pretu once told him he was involved in drug trafficking. He has learned from the newspapers about Pretu’s other activities. He is also said to have told him about his involvement in a robbery of a jeweler in the Renaissance Mall.
Furthermore, Bautisma has confirmed that in 2013 he stated that Luigi was a member of No Limit Soldiers (NLS), a criminal gang from the Koraal Specht district. However, Bautisma now said that someone told him his brother was a member of it. But that Luigi himself never said this.
Bautisma has also indicated that in his last conversations with Luigi he never said anything about the murder of Wiels.
It was also discussed that Bautisma and his mother are suspected of money laundering through a piece of property that Pretu owned.
During the appeal hearing, Bautisma stated that two RST agents gave him a letter to sign. If he signed and made a statement, the charges against his mother would be dropped and they would be allowed to keep the property. In addition, Bautisma and his mother would receive 15 thousand guilders.