The Advocate General has today advised the Supreme Court to uphold the conviction of former Minister of Spatial Development, Infrastructure, and Environment, O.B.S., in the ‘Avestrus’ case.
In 2024, S. was convicted by the Court of Appeal for co-committing fraud against the Land Aruba, passive bribery, and embezzlement. Regarding two co-defendants, who were convicted, among other things, of bribing the minister, the Advocate General also recommends maintaining their convictions.
The Supreme Court will deliver its ruling on April 14.
The advice of the Advocate General is an independent legal analysis of the case. The Supreme Court is not obliged to follow this advice, although in practice it carries significant weight and is often adopted. However, deviations are possible.
The Avestrus case involved serious offenses, with severe allegations against the former minister. S.’s actions had a undermining effect on society and deeply damaged public trust in an integrity-driven government. The Court of Appeal imposed a prison sentence of 48 months, of which 12 months were suspended with a probation period of three years. Additionally, he was disqualified from passive voting rights and lost the right to hold any public office for five years.
In 2024, the Court of First Instance also ruled in the confiscation procedure initiated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, ordering the confiscation of over Afl. 840,000.