Prosecutor’s Office and Defense reach procedural agreement in Togo-24 Case

During this incident, multiple automatic firearms were used, and one person, F.H., was killed when shots were exchanged between two groups, endangering nearby residents and bystanders. Investigations determined that F.H. was not shot by the suspect, but by gunfire from the opposing, still-unidentified group.

Following discussions, both parties agreed to pursue a procedural agreement to ensure an efficient and timely handling of the case. This route was chosen because several individuals possibly involved remained abroad or unidentified, which could otherwise have prolonged the investigation indefinitely. The agreement provided legal certainty for all parties and avoided unnecessary delay while maintaining full respect for due process.

Under the agreement, the Prosecutor’s Office requested a conviction for attempted murder, committed multiple times, preparation of a murder, and illegal possession of automatic firearms and ammunition.

The Prosecution sought a sentence of 12 years of imprisonment, with deduction of time already spent in pre-trial detention. Without these procedural agreements, the Prosecution would have requested 16 years.

In return, the suspect agreed not to raise additional legal or evidentiary objections, waived rights to the seized items related to him, and agreed to be present for the court hearing. The suspect was not required to provide any statement and did not give any statement in order to reach this agreement. Both parties also agreed not to appeal if the Court imposed a sentence consistent with the terms of the agreement. 

The procedural agreements aimed to ensure a fair, transparent, and efficient judicial process in line with the safeguards of Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. These agreements were presented to and accepted by the Court of First Instance of Sint Maarten on December 12, 2025.