Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG--The Court of Appeals, on Wednesday, sentenced three of the four suspects in the so-called “Masbangu case†concerning the buying and selling of votes on behalf of United People’s (UP) party during the September 17, 2010, parliamentary election.
Defendants Robert C.H. James (65), C.J.L.C. (48) and Ashwin R.W. Martina (46) were suspected by the Prosecutor’s Office of selling their votes. Roy Heyliger (63), the uncle of UP party leader Theo Heyliger, was suspected of buying the votes and of mediating in the sale on behalf of UP. The Court of First Instance on September 14, 2016, acquitted all suspects of all charges. The Joint Court of Justice, however, was of a different opinion and sentenced James, Martina and Heyliger to three months suspended, on two years’ probation, and to payment of a fine of NAf. 300 for bribery. The Joint Court upheld C.J.L.C.’s acquittal, as in contrast with his co-defendants it could not be proven that he had actually been involved in the sale of his vote.
