BASSETERRE- GUADELOUPE:--- The trial of Kathron “Cuchi” Fortune, a 47-year-old man described as an "extremely dangerous" and "profile hors norme" (extraordinary profile) figure, began this Monday, September 22, in Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe. The proceedings are taking place under unprecedented security measures due to the gravity of the charges and Fortune's notorious reputation across the Caribbean.
Fortune is being tried for several violent crimes committed on the island of Saint-Martin. The first week of the trial will focus on the 2005 and 2006 assassinations of two Saint-Martin men, Jomo Maynard and Gilbert Hyman. The bodies of these victims were never recovered. The second week will address the brutal rape and murder of 30-year-old Angélique Chauviré in May 2006.
The courthouse in Basse-Terre has been transformed into a high-security zone. Measures include metal detectors, scanners for personal belongings, and a complete ban on parking in the surrounding area. Fortune himself appeared in the courtroom handcuffed and escorted by four officers from the Prison Intervention Group (PIGR). His own lawyer, Me Gérald Coralie, was accompanied by a bodyguard, highlighting the palpable tension surrounding the trial.
Originally from Grenada, Fortune grew up in Sint-Maarten, the Dutch part of Saint-Martin. Before his incarceration, he worked various jobs as a mechanic, carpenter, and server. While he has a clean criminal record on the French side of the island, his history in the Netherlands is extensive. He is already serving a life sentence there for the murder of two men, a conviction that was upheld after his appeal was rejected. Fortune also escaped from a Sint-Maarten prison in 2016 while on a medical visit, remaining at large for over a year before being recaptured.
In 2020, the Basse-Terre court convicted Fortune in absentia, sentencing him to life in prison with a 22-year safety period for the murders of Maynard and Hyman, and 30 years for the rape and murder of Chauviré. However, Fortune contested this ruling, which has led to these new, in-person trials.
Prosecutors describe the case as "exceptional." According to witness testimony, Fortune has allegedly confessed to committing as many as 17 homicides throughout the Caribbean. Investigators have presented evidence from numerous sources in Quartier d’Orléans, a district in Saint-Martin, directly implicating "Cuchi" in violent acts of revenge, often involving mutilation.
Despite the evidence, a climate of fear persists. There is concern that the 15 witnesses and two experts scheduled to testify may be too intimidated to repeat their accusations in court while facing the accused. In the courtroom, Fortune remained silent but attentive, communicating through an interpreter as he speaks English. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The transfer of Fortune from a high-security Dutch prison required an extraordinary operation involving elite French tactical units, GIGN and RAID, to ensure his secure passage to Guadeloupe. He will remain in Guadeloupe for at least two weeks following the verdict to allow for any potential appeals before being returned to the Netherlands to continue serving his life sentence.
