News SXM

Five inmates have been arrested as suspects in the ongoing investigation into the fire that broke out at Pointe Blanche Prison on May 14, 2025.

The Court of First Instance ruled on Thursday, June 12, 2025, in the ‘Seabass’ deprivation case, ordering former Sint Maarten government employees M.D. and J.L. to repay millions in fraudulently obtained public funds.

The National Detectives (Landsrecherche) are investigating a video re-circulating on social media showing an individual believed to be a Sint Maarten Member of Parliament and others involved in a physical altercation.

Windward Roads Infrastructure N.V. (WWR) has completed its US $2 million restitution stemming from the Larimar corruption case. This restitution was fulfilled through the execution of infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing the sewage system in Sint Maarten.

The Kingdom Council of Ministers approved on May 28, 2025, the appointment of Manon Ridderbeks as Chief Prosecutor of Sint Maarten. She will take office on 1 August, succeeding Hieke Buist, who will be appointed Deputy Chief Prosecutor at the National Prosecutor's Office in the Netherlands on July 1.

The Sint Maarten Police Force KPSM and the Prosecutor’s Office OM SXM have extended the “Stop, Drop, and GO” Firearm Amnesty Programme until Friday, May 16, 2025. This initiative, originally set to end on May 7, is part of ongoing efforts to reduce gun violence and illegal firearm possession across the country.

The Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM), in collaboration with the Prosecutor’s Office, announces the successful surrender of an additional illegal firearm under the ongoing “Stop, Drop, and Go” program. On Monday, April 28, 2025, a .22 caliber rifle was voluntarily brought to the police station in Cole Bay.

The Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM), in collaboration with the Prosecutor’s Office (OM), will conduct preventive search operations during the 2025 Carnival season.

The Sint Maarten Police Force KPSM and the Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten will launch the “Stop, Drop, and GO” Firearm Amnesty Programme from April 14 to May 2, 2025. This initiative aims to reduce the number of illegal firearms in the community and enhance public safety. During the amnesty period, financial compensation will be offered for surrendered firearms and for tips that lead to the discovery of illegal weapons or ammunition.

Former Member of the Sint Maarten Parliament F.R., convicted of subversive crimes in 2022, has begun serving his 20-month sentence at the Point Blanche House of Detention as of March 10, 2025. The Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten (OM SXM), responsible for executing sentences, arranged for his incarceration once space became available in the prison.

The Court of First Instance of Sint Maarten on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, rendered its verdict in two proceedings for the deprivation of illegally obtained benefits related to the “Ruby” investigation.

The Court of First Instance of Sint Maarten on Wednesday heard two proceedings for the deprivation of illegally obtained benefits related to the “Ruby” investigation.

The Prosecutor’s Office OM has decided to discontinue prosecution in the investigation Helsinki in Sint Maarten. Helsinki concerned an investigation into fraud and corruption suspected to have been committed by, among others, a (former) board member of a government-owned company. 

A former St. Maarten Member of Parliament (MP) has been sentenced to 18 months in prison and banned from serving as a civil servant or standing for elections for six and a half years in a vote-buying case. The ban period is the maximum as set out in the country’s criminal laws.

Three suspects stood trial today, one of them a former parliamentarian.

The Court of First Instance has rendered its verdict in the case of suspended Sint Maarten Police Force officer R.J., sentencing him to five years in prison after finding him guilty of assault and rape of his stepdaughter. The verdict, delivered on Thursday, October 3, 2024, determined that the primary facts of the case were proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

A male nurse on Sint Maarten has been convicted of sexually abusing three female patients under his care.

A woman on Sint Maarten, with initials L.L.A., arrested on September 16, 2024, in a fraud investigation has been released by the Court with conditions to which she must comply. L.L.A., released today, September 20, remains a suspect in the ongoing investigations.

A man sentenced for multiple facts on Sint Maarten will now serve his sentence in his home country Scotland.

The enhanced stop and search powers granted to the Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM under the Firearms Ordinance is back in place. The enhanced powers, granted by the Prosecutor's Office Sint Maarten, affects several at different times and dates.

A dog owner was sentenced to pay a fine of NAf. 5,000 by the Court of First Instance in Sint Maarten today, Wednesday, following an incident involving his pitbulls that resulted in endangering the safety of people on his property.

Ahead of the August 19 snap Parliamentary Elections, the Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten OM SXM, the Police Force of St. Maarten and the National Detectives (Landsrecherche) urge all voters to participate in the democratic process responsibly. Anyone who has been approached with offers to sell their vote or anyone who knows of someone attempting to sell or buy votes is urged to report such to the KPSM anonymous tip line 9300.

The enhanced stop and search powers granted to the Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM under the Firearms Ordinance have been now covers Dutch Quarter, Cole Bay/Simpson Bay and Maho/Cupecoy. The enhanced powers, granted by the Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten, affects the stated areas at different times and dates.

The Prosecutor’s Office OM has formally requested permission from the Joint Court of Justice to prosecute a Sint Maarten Member of Parliament (MP) at the center of the “Aconitum” case.

The enhanced stop and search powers granted to the Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM under the Firearms Ordinance have been extended to cover Cole Bay/Simpson Bay from today, Friday, August 9, 2024, until Monday, August 12, 2024. The order goes into effect at 9:00pm and will remain in place until Saturday, August 10, 2024, at 9:00am. The second and third orders will cover the same time slot on Saturday, August 10, to 9:00am Sunday, August 11, and Sunday, August 11, to Monday, August 12.

The enhanced stop and search powers granted to the Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM under the Firearms Ordinance have been extended until Monday, August 12, 2024, at 5:00pm, on the order of the Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten OM SXM.

The Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM now has enhanced stop and search powers under the Firearms Ordinance. This measure was implemented on the order of the Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten OM SXM today, Monday, August 5, 2024, in response to the increased number of shooting incidents in the country.

Three suspects so far have been arrested today, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, on suspicion of, among others, participating in a criminal organisation with the purpose of buying votes for which a Member of the Sint Maarten Parliament was the primary beneficiary.

Today, July 22, 2024, law enforcement in Sint Maarten has arrested a person of interest in connection with the July 17 shooting that occurred in Cupecoy. This arrest marks a significant step forward in the ongoing investigation into the late night shooting that claimed one life and saw two others injured.

On Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at approximately 21:30 pm the Sint Maarten Police Force KPSM responded to a distress call regarding a shooting in the Cupecoy/Maho area. Upon arrival, patrol officers discovered a male victim, Mr. O. Arrindell, who had sustained a non-fatal gunshot.

The Court of Appeal in Sint Maarten has increased the sentence meted out to the man convicted of brutally stabbing a young mother in 2022. The man, M.B., will now serve an eighteen-year sentence, two more than the Court of First Instance had sentenced him to a year ago.

On Friday, July 12, 2024, the Criminal Investigation Team (RST), under the direction of the examining judge, conducted searches at a Member of Parliament’s residence and at his workplace in the Parliament Building in Sint Maarten.

As the 2024 Parliamentary Elections on August 19 draw near, the Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten OM SXM, the National Detectives (Landsrecherche) and the Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM have issued a stern warning against vote buying and selling.

O.A. and J.S. convicted of subversive crimes, in separate cases, have begun serving their sentences at the Point Blanche House of Detention (prison) this week.

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten (24 June 2024) -- The Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten OM SXM has charged three suspects in connection with an incident involving dangerous dogs.

The Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten OM SXM and the Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM are continuing their investigation into a shooting incident that occurred on Front Street in the vicinity of Vissersteeg, June 2, 2023.

The Court of First Instance has handed down lengthy sentences to two serial perpetrators of an armed robbery that took place in the area of Old Street on December 2, 2023.

The Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten OM SXM and Police Force of Sint Maarten KPSM are aware of the upcoming auction of the assets of a construction and development company by a local commercial bank.

The Court of First Instance in Sint Maarten has handed down a ten-year sentence to a man found guilty of the August 2022 fatal shooting outside of a Simpson Bay Car Wash.

The Court of Appeal has increased the prison sentence and election ban of former Sint Maarten Member of Parliament F.R. , who was convicted for corruption, bribery, and conflict of interest in the Aquamarine II case. This case pertains to the construction of the Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP) building and its maintenance contract.

The Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten OM SXM and the National Detectives (Landsrecherche) will be extra vigilant in this period leading up to the 2024 Parliamentary Elections and on the day of the vote on January 11 for indications of bribery and the buying/selling of votes and will investigate these in accordance with the law.

The Court of First Instance in Sint Maarten has sentenced a former civil servant for fraud. The woman, who worked as a head cashier for almost two decades, was found guilty of diverting a significant amount of cash paid by individuals utilizing government services.

The Court of First Instance in Sint Maarten has sentenced three minors for their involvement in a school-related fight. The two victims, also minors, were severely beaten in the January 6 2022 fight. One of the victims was stabbed in the hip.

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten (08 November 2023) – Searches were conducted today, Wednesday, at four locations connected to a suspect in a fraud and money laundering case named “Koruna”.

The Prosecutor's Office OM has reached a settlement with T.E.H. in the Larimar dispossession case.
The Larimar investigation started on 2 March 2017 and was conducted by the Recherche Samenwerkingsteam (RST) under the responsibility of the Central Team of the Attorney General's Office of Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba.

On Monday, 25 September, 2023, the Recherche Samenwerkingsteam (RST), under the supervision of the Judge of Instruction RC, conducted a search on Sint Maarten at the property of a suspect in the ongoing ‘Helsinki’ case.

The Court of First Instance in Sint Maarten has handed down an unconditional sentence of four year in youth detention in a case of attempted manslaughter and illegal firearms possession. The verdict delivered on Wednesday, pertains to a shooting that transpired near the Festival Village after the 2022 ‘Cooler Fete’ event.

On Wednesday, September 6, 2023, the Court of First Instance in Sint Maarten issued a seven-year prison sentence to G.A.G., who was found guilty of attempting murder and firearm possession.

The Court of First Instance in Sint Maarten has sentenced a man to sixteen years imprisonment for brutally assaulting a young woman one year ago.

The Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten has agreed to allow Windward Roads Infrastructure WWR to complete the remaining works of the new Dutch Quarter sewerage pump station and sewerage network upgrade. The works, decided on with the input of the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Development, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI, will commence on Monday, August 7, 2023, and will last six months.