MP Christopher Emmanuel and Marisha Richardson Arrested in Begonia Investigation
PHILIPSBURG:--- A team of detectives including prosecutors searched the home of Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel at his South Reward residence early Tuesday morning. The home of his chief of cabinet Marisha Richardson was also searched. Both Emmanuel and Richardson have been arrested in the Begonia investigation.
Spokesperson for the Prosecutor’s Office Hazel Durand confirmed the searches which she said is conducted by the Landsrecherche and the Prosecutor’s Office early Tuesday morning.
As previously reported the case does not belong to the TBO, instead, it’s a case that is conducted by the national detectives and Prosecutor’s Office. Durand said more information on the early morning search will be released later today by press release.
A complaint was filed by now-ousted Minister Emil Lee against MP Emmanuel while the former acting head of Domain Affairs Raeyhon Peterson had also submitted a file to the Prosecutor’s Office. While ousted Minister of VSA Emil Lee is now distancing himself from the complaint he filed. Lee himself made the announcement that he filed an official complaint against the former VROMI Minister when he was on SOS Radio shortly before the 2018 snap elections.
Emmanuel is a candidate Minister that is currently undergoing the screening process. Certainly, with the early morning raid and subsequent arrest, Emmanuel may not pass the screening process to become the interim Minister of VSA.
Emmanuel was escorted to Philipsburg by a Prosecutor and is currently housed at the Pointe Blanche Prison.
Prosecutor's Office said in a statement that Emmanuel and his chief of staff during his tenure as Minister of VROMI have been arrested in the Begonia Investigation. This investigation has to do with the distribution of land while Emmanuel was the Minister of VROMI.
Further information reaching SMN News states that Marisha Richardson, who was the chief of staff of Emmanuel during his tenure as Minister of VROMI was also searched and she too was escorted to Philipsburg where both are being questioned.
SMN News could not obtain confirmation on whether MP Emmanuel and Richardson have been officially detained.
Persons within the community feel that the searches taking place are specifically targetting the now majority in parliament since they said the Dutch are against the incoming coalition government.
Suspects arrested in Begonia investigation
This morning suspects C.T.E. and M.A.R. were arrested by the National Detectives of Sint Maarten. One of the suspects is a Member of Parliament and is the former Minister of VROMI. The other suspect was Chief of the VROMI Cabinet during the same governing period.
After a lengthy investigation, the two were arrested on suspicion of abuse of function and forgery or complicity in such acts, during their tenure at VROMI. The suspects are accused of unlawfully long leasing government land to acquaintances at the end of their tenure in 2017. As a result, other applicants were disadvantaged.
Verdachten aangehouden in het Begonia-onderzoek
Vanochtend werden twee personen aangehouden door de Landsrecherche van Sint Maarten. Een van de verdachten is een voormalig minister van VROMI thans parlementariër. De andere verdachte is een voormalig Chef van het kabinet van VROMI uit dezelfde regeerperiode.
Zij werden na langdurig onderzoek aangehouden ter zake van verdenking van misbruik van functie en valsheid in geschrifte of de medeplichtigheid hieraan.
Concreet is de verdenking dat de twee aangehouden personen door misbruik van hun vorige functies bij VROMI, aan het einde van hun ambtsperiode in 2017, op onrechtmatige wijze gronden van de overheid in erfpacht hebben gegeven aan personen die in een directe relatie tot hen stonden. Hierdoor zijn andere aanvragers benadeeld.
Prosecutor's Office Press Release.
