Tuesday, April 14, the Hoge Raad will deliver its final verdict in the Avestruz case, a case that deeply shocked Aruba. The case has reached its final stage and everything indicates that the judge will condemn Benny’s legacy forever.
The judge spoke clearly: Benny abused
In the ruling in the appeal case, the judge clearly stated that Benny Sevinger abused his position and power, acted against all rules of good governance, benefited himself and his friends, and broke the trust of the people.
Governing to benefit himself
The judge ruled that what Benny Sevinger did were not small mistakes, but rather a modus operandi of governance that placed personal interest above the interest of Aruba. Benny misused his power to benefit himself and his associates.
The impact of abuse goes further
The consequences of Benny’s actions worried the community of Aruba. Trust in government was weakened, the public system was questioned, and the future of many people was affected. For example, many young people remained without land to build a home or had to wait many years for the investigation to be completed before the Department of Infrastructure and Planning (DIP) could work on their requests.
Justice has reached its final chapter
Today the case of Benny reaches its final chapter. The Supreme Court, the highest court in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, will deliver its verdict in the Avestruz case. As Minister, Benny abused Aruba, and now his day has come when the judge will condemn his legacy of abuse of power.
Factual note: The Supreme Court indeed issued its final decision on April 14, 2026, confirming the conviction for fraud, bribery, and embezzlement, making the sentence final with no further appeals possible.