PHILIPSBURG:--- The detectives of the Landsrecherche that are currently investigating the alleged threats that Member of Parliament Romaine Laville fired at Member of Parliament Jules James will also include in their investigation the complaint MP Laville filed against Leader of the United People's Party Theodore Heyliger whom MP Laville said offered him bribes on more than one occasion to return to the UP Party.
Attorney General of St. Maarten Taco Stein said in an invited comment on Sunday to SMN News that the plans of the Landsrecherche is to include the complaint Laville filed against Heyliger. SMN News also learnt that MP Patrick Illidge filed a complaint against Heyliger when the Bada Bing scandal surfaced but that could not be verified.
During the past two weeks, two Marchechausee who joined the team at the Landsrecherche began questioning a number of witnesses including other Members of Parliament who witnessed the threatening. The detectives also questioned a number of staff of the Parliament of St. Maarten during several visits to the House of Parliament as they continue the investigation. SMN News also learnt that the detectives also questioned Sir Isidore York (The Mighty Dow) because York also filed a verbal complaint some months ago against Laville claiming that he threatened him. The threatening of Dow took place in the hallway of the Government Administration Building over the TEMPO Turns 7 show that was held on the island last year.
The penal code of St. Maarten states that a person can only be arrested if they commit a crime that warrants four years in jail or more, threatening someone could cause a person to be sentenced a maximum of two years. Even though the penal code has how and when someone could be arrested, article 101 has a list of crimes that can be exempted from the regular application of the law.
Under article 101 of the penal procedure someone that threatens another person can also be arrested. Therefore, MP Romain Laville can be arrested depending on the outcome of the investigation and the decision taken by the Prosecutor's Office.
