“The body of Desi Bouterse was seized by the judicial authorities,” said Ramon Abrahams early Wednesday morning shortly after the body was transported to the morgue at the Academic Hospital Paramaribo (AZP) with a police escort. “We were told that an atopsy would be performed and that the judicial authorities would release more information about the cause of Bouterse’s death. Until then the family and the people from the NDP  must wait until the body will be returned to the family so that we can arrange the funeral,” said  Abrahams who expressed shock over the sudden death of Bouterse. “His family had not expected that he would not be in their midst on the first day of Christmas. It took all of us by surprise. We did not want things to happen this way and there were no indications that something was wrong with him. We unexpectedly received the news that he was not doing well so many of us assembled at his house last night to support the family in these tough times,” said  Abrahams. After news of the death of the former president of the republic of Suriname and the former chairman of the National Democratic Party (NDP) had spread several prominent figures of the NDP such as Jenny Simons, Ashwin Adhin and Ramon Abrahams rushed to the private residence of Bouterse at  Leonsberg. Relatives and members of the NDP also assembled in front of his house on Wednesday morning. “I still can’t believe it. He was our father and I refuse to believe that he is gone,” said a member of the NDP who became very emotional outside the gates of the Bouterse residence. Sources told Times of Suriname that the family reported the death of Bouterse around 6 a.m. Shortly afterwards the police arrived at the house and they summoned a doctor to make it official.

“At this moment I can only say that the death of Bouterse has been determined officially,” Doctor  Khoen Khoen told the press. A hearse from the Hamdard Funeral Home arrived shortly after the doctor had left the Bouterse residence. Around 7:55 the hearse left for the morgue with a police escort.  After the hearse had left Abrahams told the press that “it is difficult for the NDP to process this loss.”

“He was a rolemodel for everyone. He was our leader and we learned so much from him. His legacy is huge and he has done much for his country. I hope that his ideals will live on and that the NDP will win the next elections,” said Abrahams.