Articles from the Aruban News

From Amigoe, December 8, 2005

Police discovered cocaine balls factory in Seroe Blanco

ARUBA — The police discovered a cocaine balls factory by accident. This happened during an incursion in an apartment in Seroe Blanco. The police arrested several people and confiscated professional equipment and four kilo cocaine. Apparently, the two escaped prisoners were hiding in this apartment.

The fugitives were not in the apartment when the police dropped in. While the search is continuing, Justice-minister Rudy Croes (MEP), KIA-governor Freddy Maduro and manager Ronny Paskel of Cuerpo Especial Aruba had a meeting last Tuesday to discuss the escape. After the meeting, Croes indicated that heads will roll when it becomes clear who is responsible for the escape. Adi Thijsen, party chairman of the MEP and lawyer praised the KIA-personnel. He indicated that probably, absence through illness (60 percent) and lack of personnel played a big part in the escape. It is not easy for the KIA-personnel. Mentally, they have to be strong and they are under a lot of pressure due to the absence through illness. Logically, things go wrong sometimes. He says that the government has to take measures to avoid such escapes. The government has a personnel freeze and this is not good for the KIA. More people should be hired here in order to protect the community. The KIA-personnel should work less overtime and rest more. This way they can enjoy their work which will be to the advantage of the society.

Minister gives OM an ultimatum

ARUBA — Justice-minister Rudy Croes (MEP) gave the public prosecutor (OM) till December 17th the time to solve the internal problems. The conflict between chief district attorney Karin Janssen and Attorney General Theresa Croes-Fernandes Perna has been going on for six months already. The minister is now threatening with taking measures against the chief district attorney, because the Attorney General (PG) is her superior.

One of the reasons for the conflict is the way the media was informed in the Holloway-case. Janssen, who is a media-officer in the Netherlands, is of the opinion that it was not professionally done. The conflict escalated when Janssen was interviewed by the Nova. The OM then sent Janssen’s cellular telephone number to all the local and international media that was present. “Now that she has spoken to one journalist, she might as well speak to all of them”, said OM-media information official Mariaine Croes, daughter of the Attorney General. At that moment, Janssen was up to her ears in the investigation on the disappeared Natalee Holloway and got in trouble because of this. It was decided shortly after that the OM would only give written information on this case. Another reason for the conflict is that Janssen is of the opinion that the Attorney General is too much involved with current investigations instead of working on policy level. She resents at the PG interfering with the case of two suspicious MEP-supporters that made anonymous threats by phone from the Government office. The PG dismissed this case without consulting Janssen. Former chief of police, Jan van der Straten also clashed with minister Croes about this.

Minister Rudy Croes brings in Aruba Attorney from Curaà §ao
A.M. Digital
12/08/2005

“We have managed to convince a tremendous Attorney in Curaà §ao to come to Aruba and help us in the case of Natalee Holloway, and especially to find out if and where mistakes could have been made. Attorney Angela is Aruba born and is presently stationed in Curaà §ao” confirmed Minister of Justice Rudy Croes.

Angela already received all documents and the intentions were to have him work from one of the offices of the Public Prosecutor however, Minister Croes prevented this from happening and instructed to provide the attorney with a private office where he could work without any outside influence in order for him to function totally independent.

(rest of the article)

Hat Tip: Getagrip