THE HAGUE–Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party questions the remarks of St. Maarten Prime Minister Leona Marlin-Romeo about the permission granted by the Court to prosecute United Democrats (UD) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Theo Heyliger.
Marlin-Romeo publically expressed support for Heyliger after the Court’s decision two weeks ago to give the Public Prosecutor’s Office permission to pursue a criminal investigation against the popular politician in an alleged bribery case.
The prime minister said the Prosecutor’s Office needed to do its job in an unbiased manner and within a proper timeframe. She assured the press that government would not interfere in a case of the Prosecutor. Marlin-Romeo, a member of the UD, was appointed on behalf of Heyliger.
According to Bosman, the prime minister has violated the principle of the separation of powers, the ‘trias politica’ by getting involved in a criminal case. He posed a series of written questions to Dutch State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops on Tuesday.
The Dutch MP asked the state secretary to give his opinion on the statement of Marlin-Romeo. “How do you assess the statements of the prime minister that government has to pay keen attention that the Public Prosecutor’s Office sticks to the regulations in the criminal process and that she proposes to keep an eye on the prosecutor?”
Bosman also wanted to know whether in this situation presented a case of influencing the Public Prosecutor’s Office by St. Maarten politics. “Do you share the opinion that it is highly unusual for a prime minister in a constitutional state to make these kind of remarks?”
The Joint Court of Justice on August 21 granted the Prosecutor’s Office permission to investigate Heyliger in the case code-named “Catfish.” Permission from the Court was needed to bring criminal charges to a sitting MP. Heyliger is suspected of having bribed a fellow MP in the period 2012-2013.
Bron: Daily Herald