PHILIPSBURG--A preliminary hearing in the “Octopus” investigation is set for next week Wednesday from 9:00am to 12:00pm.
For now 5 suspects have been summoned to stand trial in the Court of First Instance: Member of Parliament (MP) Silvio Matser (49), W.F.B. (30), E.E.L.F. (35), R.G.K. (48) and F.L.A. (46). They are suspected of participating in a criminal organisation and vote-buying.
“Octopus” is the codename for the investigation into vote-buying fraud during the 2014 Parliamentary election.
A preliminary hearing means no criminal proceedings on the contents of the case will take place. The judge will take inventory of additional requests concerning the investigation and will make a decision on these requests. The judge will also make a decision on a date for the trial.
The Prosecutor has not yet made a decision on the prosecution of other suspects in the Octopus investigation.
Twenty persons were considered suspects in the investigation led by the Prosecutor’s Office and carried out by the National Detectives Agency. One suspect could not be traced and another has died in the meantime. A total of 14 suspects were detained when the investigation started.
