~ Former Minister of VROMI banned from holding public office for 5 years.~
PHILIPSBURG: --- The Court of First Instance of Sint Maarten delivered its judgment on 26 March 2026 in the criminal investigation “Jasmine” concerning three suspects.
In essence, the Jasmine investigation concerns irregularities in the issuance and/or application of building permits and in the tendering of several government projects following Hurricane Irma, during the tenure of suspect Emmanuel in his capacity as (demissionary) Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) of the country Sint Maarten.
During his term as Minister of VROMI, suspect Emmanuel was ultimately responsible for the issuance of building permits and the awarding of (construction) projects falling under the ministry. In this context, suspect Emmanuel was found guilty—briefly stated—of accepting bribes, abuse of office, and fraud.
The Court of First Instance of Sint Maarten sentenced suspect Christopher Emmanuel to an unconditional prison term of 29 months for these offenses. In addition, the suspect will be disqualified from the right to be elected (passive suffrage) and from holding public office for a period of five years.
The proven offenses constitute serious crimes.
They largely took place shortly after Hurricane Irma, which caused significant destruction in Sint Maarten. The country was in the aftermath of this disaster and focused on reconstruction, a process that fell partly under the responsibility of the suspect’s ministry. In his role as minister, the suspect held a public office function, and the highest standards were expected of his conduct. However, the suspect demonstrated a striking lack of moral awareness regarding the trust and responsibility entrusted to him by the country of Sint Maarten during this period. Through his actions, he seriously undermined public trust in government. His conduct also has a destabilizing effect on society as a whole and has caused significant reputational damage to Sint Maarten. The fact that the offenses were committed some time ago does not diminish their seriousness. The Court did consider that the reasonable time within which a suspect should be tried, according to case law, had been exceeded.
This criminal case has undeniably had a profound impact on the suspect’s life. As a public figure in a small community, his reputation has been damaged. However, this is not considered grounds for reducing the sentence, as these consequences stem directly from his own actions. The Court further noted that the suspect’s statements regarding his connection to Sint Maarten and his involvement in society are difficult to reconcile with the seriousness of his conduct, in which he placed personal gain above the national interest and gravely breached the trust placed in him. The importance of general prevention also weighs heavily in this case. It must be beyond doubt for society that conduct such as that of the suspect is unacceptable, as only in this way can the integrity of Sint Maarten’s public administration be safeguarded.
Suspect Johan Alex Dijkhoffz was also convicted by the Court. He was sentenced to an unconditional prison term of 11 months for (co-perpetration of) abuse of office and bribery of the former Minister of VROMI in relation to the issuance and/or application for building permits. Through his actions, solely for personal financial gain, he seriously undermined the integrity of a minister and, by extension, public trust in government. Here, too, the Court considered exceeding the reasonable time for trial.
Finally, suspect Barlet was fully acquitted of all charges brought against him.
Suspects Christopher Emmanuel and Johan Alex Dijkhoffz, as well as the Public Prosecution Service, have the option to file an appeal within two weeks of the judgments. The judgments will be published on rechtspraak.nl as soon as possible.
Dijkhoffz has already submitted his appeal to the court on Thursday morning, shortly after the verdicts were delivered.