The Office of the Attorney General has requested a preliminary investigation into potential corruption allegations involving Suriname’s President Chandrikapersad Santokhi and two of his ministers, including Finance Minister Stanley Raghoebarsing.
Alleged misappropriation of funds sparks probe
The probe was triggered by reports suggesting that the government disbursed around US$7.5 million to Pan-American Real Estate, a local company, based on falsified documents.
“It is important to emphasize that no one has yet been identified as a suspect,” the Public Prosecution Service said on Wednesday.
Whistleblower sparks initial inquiry
The case came to light last November when an anonymous whistleblower, armed with a trove of documents, filed a criminal complaint with the attorney general’s office.
Subsequently, in January, additional potentially incriminating evidence was handed over to the Office of the Attorney General, prompting the Police Anti-Corruption Unit to delve into the matter.
Key figures under scrutiny
Reports are that during the investigation, several individuals were questioned by the police, including Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk and the two ministers.
The Public Prosecution Service revealed that it had received a comprehensive police file on the case, leading to the request for a preliminary judicial investigation from the examining magistrate.
Maintaining innocence amid accusations
President Santokhi and the two cabinet ministers have denied any wrongdoing, asserting that all actions were conducted in compliance with existing legal accounting regulations.
Accusations and counterclaims
According to the whistleblower, Public Works Minister Riad Nurmohamed allegedly presented fraudulent documents during a Council of Ministers meeting to facilitate the payment to Pan-American Real Estate.
Although Vice President Brunswijk purportedly halted the payment on two occasions, the whistleblower alleges that the minister circumvented the ministerial meeting and directly submitted the questionable documents to the government council and a cabinet meeting chaired by the president.
It is purported that during this session, President Santokhi sanctioned the disbursement of approximately US$7.5 million.
Disputed dealings and previous agreements
Initially, Finance Minister Raghoebarsing opposed the payment, contending that the services provided by Pan-American Real Estate did not meet the criteria for a public-private partnership project as initially suggested.
According to Public Works Minister Nurmohamed, the previous administration under Desi Bouterse had engaged Pan-American Real Estate in a housing construction venture for low-income groups in 2019.
Allegedly, the agreement stipulated that the government would undertake road paving at a real estate development project by the company.
However, Nurmohamed claims that these obligations were not fulfilled, leading the company to undertake the road paving itself and subsequently seeking reimbursement from the current government.
Uncertain future and political implications
Observers are closely monitoring the developments, pondering whether this case will culminate in the prosecution of the president and his two ministers.
Notably, government and former political office holders can only face prosecution if charged by Parliament at the behest of the Attorney General, a process where President Santokhi’s coalition holds a majority stake.
