The Court of First Instance will handle the murder case of Sheldon Johnson this Thursday, June 4, on Bonaire. Johnson was the firefighter who was shot and killed on Saba on September 12, 2025. The case caused a lot of commotion on the island and is drawing major interest within the small community.
The case, which has been named ‘Papaya’ by the justice department, will be heard on its merits this Thursday in Kralendijk. In the run-up to the hearing, extra preparations have been made due to the expected large public and media interest. For example, journalists received instructions beforehand to register their presence. This is not common for criminal cases on Bonaire. The hearing is expected to take a full day, from 9:00 AM to about 5:00 PM, with a break around noon.
High travel costs
In recent months, Johnson’s family had asked to hold the case on Saba. According to the family, this would give residents the chance to attend the public hearing without having to pay high travel costs, since the crime took place there. The justice department decided not to go along with this. Safety concerns played a role in that decision. The courtroom on Saba is also said to be too small for the expected number of attendees.
The hearing will take place on Bonaire. People who are interested on Saba can follow the proceedings through a live video link at the Community Center. A courtroom is also available on Sint Maarten where the hearing can be followed via a video link. The justice department expects a large turnout. If there are not enough seats available, family members of the victim will get priority.
Family members
A recurring point of discussion was the presence of immediate family members at the hearing. The family’s lawyer previously stated that the court had to find a solution to let family members travel to Bonaire if the case were to be handled there. It is now known that the family will be present Thursday on Bonaire.
