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PHILIPSBURG--Judge Koos van de Ven has allowed a number of witnesses to be heard on behalf of the defence in the so-called "Orca" case. The Court announced its decision on a number of the defence's requests for additional investigations and the hearing of witnesses during a brief session on Tuesday morning.
The suspects did not appear in Court, but were represented by their respective lawyers. It is not known when the actual court case will be heard, most likely in March or April 2015.
In the trial, Member of Parliament (MP) Patrick Illidge (48) will be charged with accepting bribes from Bada Bing and Lunteren N.V. owner Jaap van den Heuvel (48) for the total amount of US $150,000, between October 2010 and September 2012.
In exchange for the money, Illidge allegedly was to use his power and influence to favour the Bada Bing owner in ensuring the Ministry of Economic Affairs would grant adapted permits to the nightclub and seek a change in its official registered address.
Illidge allegedly also was to promote extended opening hours for Bada Bing and seek the extension of work permits for several female employees.
Illidge also was charged with possession of an illegal firearm.
The indictment against Van den Heuvel consists of eight charges, including the alleged bribery of MP Illidge, money laundering, membership in a criminal organisation involved in forgery, tax evasion, trafficking of women and the employment of women without a work permit.
Lunteren N.V. and its employee K.E.v.d.B. (41) were indicted separately. The company was charged with involvement in money laundering, trafficking of women, tax evasion and violation of the ordinance on the employment of foreign labourers.
Van den Heuvel is at the centre of the Bada Bing corruption case, which surrounds a videotape of Illidge apparently accepting banknotes from Van den Heuvel while the two discuss business permits.
Attorneys Ralph Richardson and Cor Merx both had requested during the August 21 hearing that the Prosecutor's Office provide the Attorney-General's order to launch the investigation, as well as the authorisation to involve national detectives from Aruba.
The Court ordered the Prosecutor to add these documents to the case file or to provide an explanation.
Merx's request for the return of his client's financial administration also was granted, as well as the hearing of Van den Heuvel's accountant.
The judge allowed for a number of witnesses to be heard by an investigating judge. Merx had submitted by far the longest list of additional witnesses, which included the names of former Chief Prosecutor Hans Mos and owner of adult entertainment centres Etienne "Tochie" Meyers. However, the Court dismissed the hearing of these two persons because this would be "irrelevant" to the case.
The judge also dismissed requests for additional investigations into the videotape.
The Court requested that the Prosecutor provide clarity on the authority and responsibility of five extraordinary police officers who had been involved in the (tax) investigations in this case.
The actual hearing of this case was scheduled for January 14-15, 2015. However, presiding Judge Koos van de Ven will be leaving St. Maarten as per October 1 and his replacement will not be installed before January 1, 2015. Therefore, the planned hearing is to be rescheduled to allow the new Judge some extra time to settle himself and study the voluminous case file.
A new date for the trial will be set during a brief court session on January 14.
