WILLEMSTAD, Curacao:--- Former Prime Minister of Curacao Gerrit Scotte (G.F.S), who is now a Member of Parliament of Curacao and his companion identified as C.R.D. were arrested by the Landsrecherche of Curacao. The arrests are related to an investigation called "Babel". The two suspects were arrested on the suspicion of more than one count of forgery and money laundering.
The arrests were made on the morning of May 20th, 2014 in Willemstad and Salina. The Office of the Attorney General of Curacao refutes all reports in Curacao that stated that house searches were conducted during the arrests on Tuesday morning. Public Prosecutor Guillano Schoop said sometime Tuesday afternoon more information on the detention of the two suspects would be released. The Prosecution is currently interrogating both suspects, Scoop said. He also reiterated that no house searches were conducted when the arrests were made.
On Tuesday afternoon, a third press release was issued by the Office of the Attorney General which states that "Babel" started on September 18th, 2012 when a declaration was made. Another declaration was made on October 22nd, 2012 which states that the former Prime Minister and now Member of Parliament committed certain offenses. The Attorney General Office of Curacao, St. Maarten and the BES islands decided on January 28th, 2013 to commission a fact finding mission (investigation) led by the Landsrecherche of Curacao on the allegations that were made. Spokesman for the Attorney General's Office Norman Serphos said based on the outcome of the investigation and information they received from abroad, the Attorney General ordered a criminal investigation on June 6th, 2013. The investigation was given the name "Babylon" (Babel). Serphos said that the investigation is being conducted in Curacao under the leadership of the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Landsrecherche of Curacao, support is also given by the Criminal Investigation Team of Curacao.
On December 9th, 2013, the investigators conducted a number of searches and they seized laptops, computers, documents and other data carriers which were further examined.
As the Babylon (Babel) Investigation continues investigators in Curacao have arrested the former Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte (39) now Member of Parliament of Curacao and his companion identified only as C.R.D (36). The two suspects are suspected of being involved in multiple counts of forgery and money laundering.
Both suspects were taken to a place where they were questioned on the crimes they are suspected of committing, the interrogation continued in the afternoon on Tuesday in the presence of the Public Prosecutor and is expected to continue for the next two days. If necessary the two suspects will be taken before the Judge of Instruction where their detention will be extended for another eight days. During this hearing the judge will also decide if the arrest of the two suspects were in conformity with the law. The extension hearing should take place either on Thursday or Friday.
