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Local Items: Good news about crime on Bonaire
Bonaire Talk: Local Items: Archives: Archives 2005 - 2006: Archives - 2005-07-17 to 2005-11-07: Good news about crime on Bonaire
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #289) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 9:40 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Amidst bad news about crime on Bonaire, I am pleased to report some good news.

The Dutch criminal justice system permits the judge to INCREASE sentences of criminals who appeal their sentences and lose the appeal.

That has happened in the case of the criminals who terrorized the Biancullis. They lost their appeal.

Albert and Barbara Bianculli have given me permission to post their letter to Special Security Services reporting what occurred.
The rest of this message Albert and Barbara wrote:

Hello,

The convicted criminals in our attack tried to appeal their punishment sentences and we mounted a counter appeal to the High Court in Curacao. Mr. Ernst Wesselius prepared the appeal and it was presented to the Court by the justice department in Curacao last month.

The appeal was denied AND all the sentences were INCREASED except for
Dominico "Nico" Wanga.

These are the terms:
Ellery Nicolaas: Prior Term 12 years, Appeal Term, 15 Yrs.
Valery Nicolaas: Prior Term 3 years and 6 months, Appeal Term, 6 years and 6 months.
Ryan Frans: Prior Term 9 years, Appeal Term, 12 Yrs.
Sergio Mercera: Prior Term 12 years, Appeal Term, 15 Yrs.
Dominico Wanga: Prior Term 30 months, Appeal Term, 30 months.

We are very satisfied with the results and thank you for all your help during the investigation of this case and your protection service and we wish to thank your staff for their personal attention on the night of the attack and in the aftermath.

Best regards,
Albert & Barbara Bianculli

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Edward Mizell (BonaireTalker - Post #54) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 9:52 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

What happened to the Bianculli's? When? Where?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #291) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 10:16 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Scroll down the thread topics under Local Items. There is a thread on this topic.
Briefly, three men thought the Biancullis had a huge amount of money in a safe. They did not. There was no money. There was no safe. The men tortured them both to make them reveal the location of this non-existent safe. They were both injured. Not a pretty story.
Their home is in Sabadeco.
I believe it was last fall. There is a photograph of Barbara in the Bonaire Reporter from the week when it happened. Her face was so badly beaten she was unrecognizable.
But all the criminals were caught, tried, sentenced, and convicted. And nothing similar has occurred on Bonaire since the arrests.
The Biancullis still enthusiastically live on Bonaire. They do the wonderful slide show at Capt. Don's at 8:30 on Sunday nights. Barbara teaches. And Albert writes terrific articles for the Bonaire Reporter. Life goes on.
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marcus L. Barnes (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #376) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 11:00 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Great outcome, however, I would have like to have seen them given life w/o parole. I saw Barbara's picture after the crime - they deserved life.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #293) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 11:04 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Alas, that's not possible here.
Rejoice that what is possible has occurred!
The Biancullis are very pleased.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Denise Kacavas (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1047) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 1:14 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

just curious ... in the Dutch criminal justice system, is a sentence truelly the time that will be served or is it like in the States when X years might end up being alot less, for good behaviour or whatever??

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Josie (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1087) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 2:20 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

This is good news, and I applaud the Biancullis for their courage. I also recommend Albert's slide show -- they are a great couple.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Martin de Weger (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #4079) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 2:53 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Denise, it's normal to lose about 1/3 of your time, due to "good behaviour" in Holland, I don't know how it is on Bonaire.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By seb (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #2344) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 3:12 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Double or nothing? Awesome! Kudos to the Biancullis for keeping at it.

The only thing necessary for evil to flourish is that good men do nothing.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Fiona Rattray (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #327) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 3:42 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

You're right, Tish, this is cause for rejoicing!
Best wishes to the Biancullis for long and prosperous lives.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Carole B. (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5121) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 6:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Thanks for the news and the update on the Bianculli's, Tish. I'm so glad to see they are doing so well and have remained on Bonaire. Carole

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1409) on Thursday, July 21, 2005 - 9:38 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Tish,
Thanks for this news. It's good to hear that the thugs got more than they bargained for on appeal!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron LaCourse (BonaireTalker - Post #29) on Friday, July 22, 2005 - 2:35 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Boy, now I can agree with double or nothing, sure would clear the dockets.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ron LaCourse (BonaireTalker - Post #30) on Friday, July 22, 2005 - 2:38 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Sure seems that since they were caught the petty crime and B&E that was being reported on BT has been eliminated.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Susan (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1410) on Friday, July 22, 2005 - 8:04 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

From what I've heard, it hasn't. It simply hasn't been reported here. I know of at least one local family who run a business on Bonaire whose house was cleaned out (of supplies used in their business) while they were servicing other tourist clients.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tish (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #299) on Friday, July 22, 2005 - 8:43 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

First, to answer the question about time off for good behavior, both the US and the Dutch systems provide such time off. However, both countries also allow unconditional sentences in which all time must be served.
The criminals in the Bianculli case received unconditional sentences. Therefore they will serve the full sentences.
I received this information from Albert Bianculli.
The crime rate has indeed diminished. It is highly probable that all the terrorizing B&E was being committed by the same group now in prison.
Another hardened criminal escaped from jail on Bonaire a while back. He was just recaptured and is now in prison on another island. He undoubtedly committed crimes while he was on the loose. Probably, Susan, he was involved in the crime which you mention. Perhaps he is responsible for the deaths of the two boys.
Petty thefts from vehicles have not stopped, but they have also diminished. A big group of kids was arrested a few months ago, and reports of such thefts dropped after that.
My heart goes out to any victim of crime in any location--and I have been one myself in two other countries--but I feel much safer here than any place I have ever lived or visited.
I fear that reports on Bonaire Talk sometimes give an inflated impression of crime and an understated impression of arrests and convictions.
Just remember that if you are a victim, you must report the crime in order for the detectives to take action. If you are robbed on your last night here, at least mail a report to the Bonaire police after you return home. No matter how minor the crime, report it. Otherwise, the police here have no way of knowing the extent of crime on Bonaire, whether it is small or large at any given time. They also often recover the stolen items. When they arrest criminals, they find such items but sometimes don't know who they belong to or can't prove they were stolen.
You can help by filing a report. PLEASE do this. Provide serial numbers if you have them.
The Biancullis did everything in their power to help ensure the arrest and conviction of the people who terrorized them.
Instead of feeling helpless and angry if you are robbed, file a report and cooperate with the police. Tell them that if it would be useful you will return to Bonaire to testify. The detectives can more easily do their jobs if you do your part.
The Biancullis have provided a model for us all.
Tish

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By lisa zacchio (BonaireTalker - Post #40) on Saturday, July 23, 2005 - 10:18 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I am pleased that these criminals did not get out scott free, and I'm happy that their appeal backfired on them.
But more importantly, I have very happy for the Biancullis, in that they are recovering physically, especially Mrs. Bianculli. When I saw the pic of her after the attack, my stomach turned.
To the Biancullis, you have been in our thoughts and prayers, best wishes for both a full physical and emotional recovery.
Lisa and Lou Zacchio

 


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