Man sentenced for attempting
to bribe police commissioner
PHILIPSBURG--While investigations are ongoing into the alleged involvement of a police commissioner in human trafficking, a 28-year-old man was found guilty by the Court of First Instance on Wednesday of having tried to bribe Chief Immigration Officer Ademar Doran.
Judge Rick Smid sentenced Stephen Bruney to 180 days, 142 of which to be suspended, with three years’ probation and 200 hours of community service.
Stephen Bruney tried on March 5 to persuade Police Commissioner Doran to annul the deportation of a woman from Romania. This woman was employed as a dancer at a local nightclub, but was to be deported because she was in violation of the Federal Ordinance on Admittance and Expulsion LTU.
Bruney, who had worked at the same nightclub for two weeks, said he had become emotionally involved and had tried to remedy the situation on behalf of a friend of his who was to marry the woman involved.
He said he had sought the help of persons of influence. He promised Commissioner Doran that he would receive prompt payment of US $5,000 for his help. He scribbled his promise on a piece of paper, which was included in the case file.
Doran refused the illegal offer and said he was not authorised to do anything about the situation. He filed a complaint, after which Bruney was arrested.
Brought before the Judge, Bruney said Wednesday what he had done had been “stupid and wrong.”
Prosecutor Taco Stein agreed with this description. “The integrity of the police force is of the utmost importance,” said Stein. He recommended that the judge impose a conditional prison sentence of six months and 240 hours of community service.
Attorney-at-law Denicio Brison joined the choir, saying his client had been “terribly naïve and incredibly stupid.” Brison said his client had gone too far in his attempt to do something for his friend. He requested the acquittal of his client because he had not deliberately set out to bribe a police officer, but had merely sought help.
