PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prosecutor's Office finally decided to prosecute the four police officers who allegedly took monies from the United People's Party in exchange for their votes in 2010 when St. Maarten held it first election to become a country within the Kingdom.
SMN News broke the story on September 29th, 2010 when Chief Commissioner of Police Peter de Witte confirmed that the police internal affairs were busy conducting an investigation when they got word that four officers allegedly took a police vehicle and went to the United People's Party headquarters in Pointe Blanche and collected monies in exchange for their votes.
Ever since the investigation started, the Prosecutor's Office kept saying they did not have sufficient human resources to further investigate the case and to finally prosecute even though KPSM had conducted an indepth investigation and submitted its findings to former Chief Prosecutor of St. Maarten Hans Mos.
The officers that were involved in the investigation were identified as as C.L.R.C. and A.M. from KPSM and R.J. Sr. from the VKS. These officers allegedly went to the UP head office to pick up four envelopes containing $300.00 each. A dispute broke out inside the police station when one of the persons found out that the envelope that was sent for her was opened and the monies inside was shared up among the other three persons that went to pick up the envelopes. The fourth person who created a scene was identified as G.W.
Since 2010 when SMN News reported that police officers were involved in selling their votes and an investigation was conducted by KPSM, it appeared as though the case went dead while Hans Mos was sitting on the main seat at the Prosecutor's Office.
On Tuesday February 11th, 2014, Press Prosecutor Tineke Kamps informed members of the media that the election fraud case "Masbangu" will be tried on Monday February 17th, 2014 at 1:30pm. The release further states that the four cops have been summoned to appear in court for the hearing while a representative of United People's Party identified as R.H. is also summoned to court. Below is the press release issued by Prosecutor Tineke Kamps.
Courthearing regarding Election fraud
The Prosecutors Services has decided to submit the investigation "Masbangu" to the judge. The Court hearing will take place on February 17, 2014, from 1:30pm in the Courthouse of Sint Maarten. The investigation concerns possible irregularities in the first elections of the country Sint Maarten on September 17, 2010. The Landsrecherche completed the investigation on February 14, 2013.
Four (former) officials from the (then) Korps Politie Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius, and Saba are summoned. They are suspected of voting for the United People's Party (UP) in exchange for money, or trying to receive money for their vote. A representative of the UP, suspect R.H., will be in trial as well. He is accused of giving money to those police-officials in exchange for their votes.
Press Release from the Public Prosecutor's Office
