PHILIPSBURG:--- The preliminary hearing (“regiezitting”) in the Octopus investigation will continue on Thursday, October 13 at 10am. The suspects S.J.M. (49), W.F.B. (30), E.E.L.F. (35), R.G.K. (48) and F.L.A. (46) will have to appear in court again. Octopus is the code name for the investigation into vote buying fraud during the 2014 parliamentary elections. A preliminary hearing means no criminal proceedings on the contents of the case will take place.
The preliminary hearing was suspended on September 21 by the Judge of the Court of First Instance of St. Maarten to give all parties more time to formulate additional requests concerning the investigation. On October 13 the judge will take inventory of all additional requests and will also take a decision on them. The Judge will take a decision on a date for the trial as well.
Prosecutor's Office Bulletin
