Police commissioner suspended,
more wrongdoing being alleged
PHILIPSBURG--The police commissioner who is at the centre of a human trafficking investigation in St. Maarten reportedly has been suspended after first being granted vacation leave. His service revolver has been handed over to Police Internal Affairs.
According to reliable reports, he was ordered not to return to the police station until the outcome of two investigations against him for alleged wrongdoing, one involving human trafficking and another involving the illegal use of police dogs and VKS personnel by a security company with which he reportedly is associated.
A memo reportedly has been circulated to the various police departments informing all police officers that the commissioner is on non-active duty.
Attempts to reach Police Chief Commissioner of the Windward Islands Derrick Holiday for comment on the allegations and the suspension of the police commissioner have so far proved fruitless.
Meanwhile, Federal Detectives have been in St. Maarten for the past five days, working from the Prosecutor’s Office while they probe the allegations made by recently arrested G.Y. that the police commissioner had been in cahoots with him in an alleged human trafficking operation.
Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein now says he hopes to confirm more details about the investigation “within the coming days,” as he believes that in these matters it is better for the integrity of the police and justice system if they are handled openly.
He said this was why the Federal Detectives had been called in to investigate the matter, as it was necessary to have an impartial and balanced investigation.
He was commenting on allegations that there might be attempts to cover up the findings of the investigation if indeed the investigation uncovers violations on the part of the police commissioner.
Meanwhile, G.Y. is serving the final days of an eight-day pre-trial detention requested by the Prosecutor’s Office and granted by the Judge of Instruction for the Court of First Instance in St. Maarten.
When the eight-day term expires, the Prosecutor’s Office will have to return to the Judge of Instruction with evidence to substantiate its wish to continue keeping G.Y. behind bars pending the outcome of the investigation, or he will have to be released.
