Prosecutor refused to release information to Labega’s attorney --- no search warrant for PJIAE.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The police from the national detectives conducted an early morning raid at the home of well know former newspaper editor and reporter Fabian Badejoe and a second raid is also being conducted at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE).
According to information reaching SMN News is that Badejoe passed out when scores of law enforcement officers arrived at his home and began searching. SMN News further learnt that the seach team consists of customs officers and all other law enforcement officers. An employee of Princess Juliana International Airport states that the office of the Airport Director Regina Labega has been cordoned and police are currently searching her office as well.
It appears as though the searches that are currently taking place has to do with the years of investigation being conducted against the Airport director Regina Labega and the owners of DMC. DMC is the company owned by Badejoe that were being used to conduct marketing services for the Tourist Office. Some years ago investigators stumbled on a bank account in the name of DMC registered as a company, that account was in Anguilla. SMN News learnt back then that the investigators had traces of money tranfers that were being made from Chase Manhattan Bank from an account belonging to the New York Tourist Office. Based on the information SMN News recieved the New York Tourist Office was making transfers up to $1.2M per year to DMC. The company DMC is registered in the name of Fabian Badejoe, and Erica Fortuno, while Regina Labega was also a shareholder of the company. Some years ago when the detectives stumbled on this information they had invited Regina Labega to the office of the National Detectives but she refused to cooperate.It appears as though the investigation against Regina Labega has now taken the high road and detectives are now closing in on the suspects.
Acting press prosecutor Gonda Van der Wulp confirmed that there are two raids that are presently ongoing. Van der Wulp said the raid has to do with an ongoing investigation that is being conducted by the National Detectives. The acting press prosecutor decline to say which case the raid is related to and she also decline to confirm whose homes were being searched by police. When asked if anyone was arrested during the raids Van der Wulp said no one was arrested and she could not say if anyone fainted simply because she was not there.
Attorney at Law Cor Merx contacted SMN News shortly after midday and said in an interview that he is the lawyer representing Regina Labega and up to midday on Thursday he was not informed of the searches. Merx said he sent emails to the Prosecutors’s office and he got return mails stating that the Prosecutor’s will not be working until after October 13th. Merx said after that he sent an email to the secretary and informed her that if by midday he did not get information on what is taking place he will go public. “Right now as I see it there is no democracy on St. Maarten, prosecutors are refusing to speak and share information with the attorneys of clients and the island is becoming like Russia. As far as I can see the Prosecution is mixing up the fraud allegations against Labega from five years ago and the screening committee that screens people for top positions. I got a document from my client that was issued by a judge to search three homes, the home of Regina Labega, the home of Fabian Badejoe and the home of Erica Fortuno but there is no document or mention of a search at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) and the reasons for the search.” Merx said since he did not get any information on the search at PJIAE that involves 15 people he is obliged to go public.
Investigation “Colade”
House searches on October 15
On Thursday October 15th 2015 the National Detectives have performed house searches in five locations. These house searches were led by the judge of investigation at the request of the public prosecutor. All five searches were performed in an ongoing criminal investigation that is related to irregularities found at the Sint Maarten Tourism Office. Subjects of the investigation “Colade” are the suspects R.L., F.A.A.B. and E.F.
No arrests were made. No further information can be disclosed.
Onderzoek “Colade”
Huiszoekingen op 15 oktober
Op donderdag 15 oktober 2015 zijn er door de Landsrecherche op vijf locaties huiszoekingen verricht. Deze huiszoekingen hebben plaatsgevonden onder leiding van de rechter-commissaris en op vordering van het Openbaar Ministerie (OM). Alle 5 huiszoekingen zijn verricht in een lopend strafrechtelijk onderzoek naar aanleiding van geconstateerde ongeregeldheden bij het Sint Maarten Toeristen Bureau. Het onderzoek “Colade” is gericht tegen de verdachten R.L. , F.A.A.B en E.F.
Er zijn geen aanhoudingen verricht. Over het onderzoek worden op dit moment geen nadere mededelingen gedaan.