PHILIPSBURG — The trial against parliamentarian Claudius Buncamper (United St. Maarten party, USp) is the result of an investigation into corruption that began in July 2018. The first court hearings were on September 28 and 29. The next session is planned for November 15 and 16.
From the presentation of the charges by the public prosecutor, it appears that Buncamper is not the only one in the crosshairs. His wife, former Public Health Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus is also a defendant, together with Flanders, Leroy La Paix and the company Robelto and Sons.
In court, MP Buncamper became “suspect Buncamper” in the eyes of the public prosecutor. The main charge against the embattled parliamentarian is about bribery and corruption. Between May 1, 2015, and August 30, 2018, when Buncamper was head of the Department of Infrastructure at the VROMI-ministry, he solicited and received 600,000 guilders (just over $335,000) from Flanders, La Paix and Robelto “for himself, his wife and his son,” the prosecutor said.
The bribe was to ensure that the management contract for the dump would go to Flanders, La Paix and Robelto. Buncamper was also held to provide confidential government information to his paymasters and to advise them about how to write their tender documents.
Furthermore, Buncamper would make sure that procedures and obligations for managing the dump would not be enforced completely. He would also nurture the relationship to facilitate future contracts, the prosecutor charged.
Maria Buncamper-Molanus has been charged with the same facts, as a co-perpetrator.
Buncamper also abused his position as a civil servant to obtain advantages, the prosecution has charged. Between April 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017, he made sure that the company S&Y Enterprises (that belongs to his wife and son) got a place on Kimsha Beach with a rental contract and a building permit while it had already been decided to create a parking lot on that location.
Furthermore, the prosecution charges, Buncamper committed forgery. Between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2014, he forged a large number of invoices for services provided to his family and to the Lions Club. The invoices were paid from the line-item ‘sewage plant’ at the VROMI-ministry. The total amount for these invoices was more than 66,000 guilders ($36,871). Buncamper made sure VROMI booked and paid these invoices.
Flander, La Paix and Robelto are charged with bribing Buncamper for 600,000 guilders between May 1, 2015, and August 30, 2018.
In November the prosecution will present its closing arguments and the attorney for Buncamper, Jairo Bloem, will present his defense.
PHOTO CAPTION: File photo of Claudius Buncamper and his wife, Maria Buncamper, on their way to the courthouse in 2018. Photo taken by Milton Pieters.
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PRESS RELEASE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE
29 September 2021
‘Ruby’ case to continue in November
PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten (29 September 2021) – Current Member of Parliament C.B. and co-suspects M.B-M, R.F., and L.L. were before the Court of First Instance this week following an extensive investigation into criminal acts concerning, among other charges, the tendering for management contracts of the landfill on Sint Maarten. This case set to continue in court on November 15-16.
The focus of the suspicion against C.B. lies with corruption during his tenure as Head of Infrastructure at the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure VROMI. In particular, he is suspected of the taking of bribes, abuse of position, forgery, and the misuse of government funds for personal purposes. M.B-M. is a co-suspect in accepting bribes. R.F. and L.L. are suspected of paying the bribes.
The “Ruby” investigation was started in July 2018 by the Kingdom Cooperation Team RST under the leadership by the Anti-Corruption Taskforce TBO of the Attorney-General’s Office of Curacao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. On February 12, 2021, the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the BES-islands allowed the prosecution of C.B.
It is in the interest of Sint Maarten society that there is clarity about the alleged corrupt and fraudulent conduct of a person who is part of the public administration.
For a well-functioning democratic society, it is essential that residents have confidence in their government. Official corruption is a phenomenon with many manifestations and does mainly occurs at the interface of public and private interests. Corruption can permanently disrupt a society: it damages the integrity of the government and leads to trade false competition.
For those reasons, TBO takes signals of such corruption extremely seriously and, if necessary, has an in-depth investigation carried out.
