Philipsburg:--- The Landsrecherche still has to turn over the files on the election fraud case that involves the United Peoples Party and four police officers to the Prosecutor's Office, confirmed Chief Prosecutor Hans Mos on Monday. Mos said when the head of the department Ademar Doran turns the files over to his office they would then study the files and decide how they will proceed. Last week Mos said that the Landsrecherche changed their office location and that had delayed the process which picked up speed some weeks ago. The country's Chief Prosecutor said that he does not know when Doran will turn over the files to his office.
The election fraud case started shortly after the 2010 elections when the news broke that three officers working at the Philipsburg Police Station went with a police vehicle to the UP head office in Pointe Blanche and collected four envelopes containing $300.00 each. A fight broke out inside the Philipsburg Police Station when one of the cops learnt that the other three had opened the envelope that was meant for him/her and shared the monies among themselves. Chief of Police Peter de Witte ordered an internal investigation when he learnt of the incident. De Witte turned over the files to the Landsrecherche sometime in 2011 and to date the case has not been investigated and prosecuted because those working at the Landsrecherche claimed they were understaffed and the case was not on their priority list.
The media on St. Maarten did not allow those responsible for law and order to push the case under the proverbial carpet because it was constantly brought up. Just recently, Mos said the investigation on the Election fraud had kicked off and as soon as his office gets the file then they will move forward.