WILLEMSTAD:--- Lawyers representing former Prime Minister of Curacao and now Member of Parliament Gerrit Schotte was successful on Monday afternoon in getting their client out of pretrial detention.
Public Prosecutor Guilliano Schoop said that the judge released Schotte on the condition that he would remain available to the investigators that are investigating the Babel multiple forgery and money laundering case. Schoop said that should Schotte fail to comply then he could be re-arrested as long as the Public Prosecutor's Office files a petition to the court. He further stated that the defense lawyers were not at all happy because the judge that heard petition on Thursday only rendered his decision on Sunday and they were informed on Monday that there were no reasons given to release the suspect since the arguments presented by the defense on Monday and Thursday are basically the same.
Prosecutor Schoop said the defense then asked why is the police still holding his client and the response from the Public Prosecutor's Office was that they are fearful that Schotte would influence the other witnesses that they still have to hear. The judge he said then asked the prosecution if they informed Schotte who the other witnesses that are still to be heard are and they responded by saying they did not inform him who those people were.
Schoop said because of that the judge felt that if Schotte does not know the witnesses that are still to be heard then he cannot influence them therefore he must be released immediately. MP Schotte also told the court that he will remain available to the investigators if he was released.
A press release from the Attorney General's Office states that based on article 91 of the criminal code procedure the defense made several petitions for their client's release.