News SXM

The Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM and the Prosecutor’s Office OM SXM have launched a murder investigation into the death of the octogenarian

The Prosecutor’s Office OM SXM, together with the Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM, has delivered its report on the March 2022 ransomware attack

The “Domestic Violence and Mediation” project, a restorative justice initiative, launched by Stichting Justitiële Inrichtingen St. Maarten (SJIS) and the Prosecutor’s Office OM Sint Maarten, was one of the initiatives recently presented to the Sint Maarten Recovery, Reconstruction, and Resilience Trust Fund steering committee.

Sexual abuse is a very traumatic experience and is often an under-reported crime, especially when the victim is a minor, one of the most vulnerable groups in the community. Victims of sexual crimes are, therefore, encouraged, by justice authorities to report such crimes to the Police. The Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM and the Prosecutor’s Office OM are committed to the continued investigation and prosecution of suspects of such criminal acts.

The Prosecutor’s Office has asked for eighteen years imprisonment for the suspect in the fatal Dawn Beach shooting that occurred on May 8, 2021. The case was heard by the Court of First Instance in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, on Wednesday, June 8, 2022.

Fighting and preventing further crimes in the community are not only dependent on putting (suspected) criminals behind bars; it is also essential to cut off the ill-acquired funds that drive criminality. The Prosecutor’s Office OM Sint Maarten is putting more emphasis on this front.

Looking back over the past four years, a significant amount of money has been confiscated in various cases, ranging from as little as NAf 10 to US $232,900.

On the night of Wednesday, 11 May 2022, and Thursday, May 12, 2022, the Recherche Samenwerkingsteam (RST) arrested three people and conducted searches at three houses and at the addresses of two businesses on Sint Maarten under the supervision of the investigating magistrate.

On Monday, May 9, 2022, the substantive hearing of the criminal case against four suspects in the Themis investigation started before the Court of First Instance.

Fourteen members of the Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM are now equipped with the skills to identify and screen cases suitable for mediation. They are now actively involved in the ongoing “Domestic Violence and Mediation Project, a restorative justice initiative, launched by Stichting Justitiële Inrichtingen St. Maarten (SJIS) and the Prosecutor’s Office OM Sint Maarten.

The Court of Appeal has sentenced two men to prison times of twenty and eighteen years each for a 2018 fatal shooting outside adult entertainment club El Capitan in Sucker Garden. This verdict, rendered on Thursday, overturned the part of the decision of the Court of First Instance in 2020 that let the men go free.

The Court of First Instance on Sint Maarten has found notary M.M. guilty of breaching secrecy and has sentenced her for her actions in the case codenamed “Bangkok”.

The Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM and the Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten are handling three cases of suspected sexual crimes committed against minors. Police have made arrests related to all three instances.

A suspected human smuggler in Sint Maarten has had his pre-trial detention extended by sixty days as of Monday, March 14, 2022.

The Joint Court of Justice has sentenced K. F. (44) from Grenada to life imprisonment for committing the murder and manslaughter of the victims L.S. D. and E. R. in a hotel room at the Simpson Bay Resort in Sint Maarten, on December 5, 2016.

With this verdict the court upheld the verdict handed down by the Court of First Instance.

It’s community service, (conditional) jail time, and the mandatory attendance to the SJIS Probation Office’s “Safe Homes” training for a man convicted of relational (domestic) violence by the Court of First Instance on Wednesday.

Businessman and former Member of Parliament (MP) S.M. has been convicted by the Court of First Instance to twenty-two months imprisonment and has had a prior conditional sentence of eighteen months from a previous case converted also into jail time.

The Court of First Instance has sentenced 18-year-old shooter J.B. to mandatory intensive forensic psychological treatment (referred to by the Dutch acronym PIJ) for a duration of two years. This is significantly different from what was demanded by the Prosecutor’s Office OM Sint Maarten.

The OM has appealed this verdict rendered in the March 2020 fatal Sucker Garden shooting case as handed down by the Court on Tuesday, 1 February 2022.

The suspect in the Ginger Island Drive shooting has had his pre-trial detention extended by sixty (60) days by the instructing judge on Monday, January 24, 2022.

The suspect in the Boxing Day shooting has had his pre-trial detention extended by sixty days on today, Monday, January 17, by the instructing judge on Sint Maarten.

A man, who was arrested by police on January 9, for suspected mistreatment of his current partner has had his pre-trial detention extended by eight days by the instructing judge on Wednesday January 12, 2022.

The Prosecutor’s Office has adjusted its public opening hours as of January 3, 2022. The office is now open to the public in the morning and afternoon.

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - C.B., a Member of Parliament was sentenced by The Court of First Instance to an unconditional prison sentence of thirty-two (32) months and to a 7-year ban on holding public office for his role in the Ruby case.

Prosecutor Hieke Buist has been appointed as Sint Maarten’s new Chief Prosecutor as of January 1, 2022. The Kingdom Council of Ministers formalized her appointment in its meeting of Thursday, 13 December 2021.

A firefighter was sentenced this week by the Court of First Instance on Wednesday for threat with a firearm and for illegal firearm possession. He was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, of which 12 months are conditional.

A Philipsburg supermarket has been ordered by the Court of First Instance to pay a fine of NAf 700 for selling items considered medicines by law. Those items include creams and ointments such as Vick’s Vapor Rub.

The fine for parking violations has been increased for several “hot spots” around the country as part of a joint effort by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Police Force of St. Maarten KPSM to aid the better flow of traffic and increase road safety for the busy holiday and tourist seasons.

The Court of Appeal has sentenced a man, R.I.L.V., to fifteen years in prison for manslaughter. The crime occurred near Marina Bar in Dutch Quarter on October 12, 2019. The victim “Nicio” was shot in the head.

The detention has been suspended for two police officers suspected of seeking bribes, abuse of function, and divulging confidential information to a third party. They remain suspects in this investigation codenamed “Hyacinth”.

A stringent prison sentence for long-term domestic violence and extortion of parents was handed down in the Court of First Instance on November 3 to a young man with multiple documented mental health ailments. The man is well known to the judicial authorities and health professionals.

The detention has been extended for two police officers suspected of seeking bribes, abuse of function, and divulging confidential information to a third party. The instructing judge will further review their detention in the coming days.

The officers were arrested over the weekend by the National Detectives (in Dutch “Landsrecherche”) in this ongoing investigation. The two officers were subsequently suspended from their posts by the Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM.

A four-year imprisonment has been requested by the prosecutor for the main suspect in the anti-corruption investigation codenamed “Draco”. The execution of the eighteen-month probation he received in a previous case was also requested by the prosecutor.

The Court of First Instance handed down a one-month sentence on Wednesday to a man for assaulting a woman, resisting arrest, damaging a police car, and threating two police officers.

The Court of First Instance in Sint Maarten has handed down sentences in cases related to attempted murder, armed robberies, and firearms possession.

In one case, the Court sentenced a man (K.M.R) to fourteen years imprisonment on Wednesday, October 27, for two armed home invasions and as a co-perpetrator of attempted manslaughter and firearm possession.

On Friday, October 22, 2021, the Recherche Samenwerkingsteam (RST) arrested two people and conducted searches at two houses and at the addresses of two businesses on Sint Maarten under the supervision of the investigating magistrate.

The Prosecutor’s Office, in collaboration with Stichting Justitiële Inrichtingen St. Maarten (SJIS) and KPSM, has created an information leaflet outlining what occurs when someone files a complaint with police and the role of the prosecutor in the process.

The Court of First Instance will hand down its verdict in the “Aquamarine II” criminal case against former Member of Parliament F.R. on November 16, 2021. F.R. stands accused of accepting bribes and intentionally participating in a contract or the supply of services while he, as a member of parliament, is charged with the ultimate supervision of country assets.

Current Sint Maarten Member of Parliament C.B. and co-suspects M.B-M, R.F., and L.L. were before the Court of First Instance this week following an extensive investigation into criminal acts concerning, among other charges, the tendering for management contracts of the landfill on Sint Maarten. This case set to continue in court on November 15-16.

The Prosecutor’s Office has taken note of the ongoing issues and complaints in the community surrounding the distribution of land in what is known as “Vineyard Heights” or “Over the Bank”. This has led to the opening of a designated email address - vineyard@omcarib.org - to which anyone with a complaint/concern as well as supporting correspondence can submit these for review by the Prosecutor’s Office.

Fourteen teenagers have committed suspected criminal offenses at or in the vicinity of their schools between August 27 to September 17. This averages about five incidents per week. These incidents and arrests were related to violence, carrying weapons and/or illicit drugs.

The Alpha Team arrested the second suspected shooter involved in the May 1 broad daylight shooting outside Pollo Hermanos. The September 11 arrest was made at Princess Juliana International Airport when the French-side resident attempted to leave the island by air.

The Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM has had to answer several calls for assistance at schools due to student-involved fights and other offenses involving minors since the start of the school year.

To tackle these types of behaviors and lay a foundation to reduce incidents in the future, KPSM recently initiated a meeting with education and related stakeholders and the Prosecutor's Office. Various short-term plans were proposed for tackle the issue. The purpose was to find way to safeguard current and future students who are not part of disorderly behavior and to allow them to continue with their lessons undisturbed.

Five people, in two unrelated cases, were arrested in two days by the Alpha Team for the importation of significant quantity of illicit drugs. The investigation into these drug-related cases are ongoing.

Customs officers confiscated an air rifle and related ammunition on Wednesday. The weapon was discovered in a package during a routine check of imported packages. It is forbidden to import, be in the possession of or to use an air gun in Sint Maarten.

"NAOS”, an extensive investigation concerning international drugs and weapons trafficking conducted by the Alpha Team, under the leadership of the Prosecutor’s Office, has led to the severing of criminal links and the sentencing of six people involved in Sint Maarten.

A student of Sint Maarten Vocational School is now sitting behind bars thinking about his decision to take a weapon and drugs to school on Tuesday, August 31, 2021.

The new school year started less than a month ago and already the Police Force of Sint Maarten and Prosecutor’s Office OM SXM have had to tackle fights among students outside of school premises.

The providing more conscientious care for victims, especially those of sexual offences, was the focus of a seminar organized by the Office of the Attorney General

A criminal investigation has been launched into the death of L.T., who was found dead in a House of Detention cell allocated to Mental Health Foundation at the Philipsburg Police Station on July 22, 2021.

The Court of First Instance handed down sentences on Wednesday in cases of assault, threats, and firearm possession.

The Court of First Instance on Sint Maarten has upheld fines for traffic offences issued by police to three motorists. The motorists contested their fines which led to their appearance in court this week.