PHILIPSBURG--Member of Parliament Silvio Matser has been convicted by the Court of First Instance to a prison sentence of eight months, two of which were suspended, on two years' probation, for buying votes among eligible inmates of Pointe Blanche Prison while campaigning for the August 2014 parliamentary election.
He was also banned from running as a candidate for five years.
Interim Prison Director Edward Rohan was sentenced to 160 days, 80 of which were suspended, on two years' probation.
The Court found him guilty of providing a list of eligible voters to Matser, then a candidate on the United People's (UP) party slate.
Prison inmate Edeson Fleming was charged for being an accomplice to the scheme.
The Court found it proven he had recruited votes among fellow-detainees, who received US $100 in canteen money from Matser in exchange for a vote.
Fleming was sentenced to six months, three of which were suspended, on two years' probation.
