Wilfred Hawker was born in 1955 in Suriname and rose to prominence as a sergeant-major in the Surinamese military. He became one of the central figures in the nation’s chaotic political transformation during the early 1980s.

In February 1980, Hawker joined Dési Bouterse and 14 other non-commissioned officers in launching a successful military coup d’état that overthrew Suriname’s elected civilian government. The group became known as the Group of Sixteen. After seizing power, Bouterse emerged as the de facto leader of the new military regime.

However, ideological cracks within the junta quickly began to show. By August 1980, Bouterse had dissolved the Surinamese parliament and declared a state of emergency, which Hawker openly opposed. While Bouterse aligned himself with leftist influences, Hawker leaned right-wing, advocating for a return to order and possibly a new form of conservative rule.

On March 15, 1981, Wilfred Hawker led a right-wing-inspired coup attempt against Bouterse’s regime. However, his plan was leaked by one of his own men, who tipped off Suriname’s Military Intelligence. The army quickly moved to shut it down.

Hawker and his small group of conspirators were pursued, and during the confrontation, one government soldier was killed. Hawker was injured in the conflict, hospitalized, and later arrested after recovering. Three others involved in the plot were also detained.

Nearly a year later, on March 11, 1982, Hawker escaped from prison during another attempted coup, this time led by military officer Surendre Rambocus. While the broader coup failed, Hawker managed to flee briefly but was recaptured the next day, wounded and receiving treatment at a military hospital.

On March 13, 1982, soldiers dragged the injured Hawker, still on a stretcher, to Fort Zeelandia, the central military compound in Paramaribo. There, he was summarily tried by a military tribunal, sentenced to death, and executed by firing squad on the same day.