ORANJESTAD - The Public Prosecution Service (om) in Aruba on Thursday demanded five years in prison against former Minister of Infrastructure and current parliamentarian Benny Sevinger. According to the Public Prosecution Service, Sevinger has been guilty of bribery, fraud, abuse of his position, money laundering, and embezzlement during his period as minister between 2009 and 2017. Furthermore, the Public Prosecution Service demands that his right to stand for election be revoked and he is not allowed to hold any public office for a period of ten years, which is the maximum period that can be imposed.
The Public Prosecution Service also wants a confiscation procedure to be started and Sevinger to pay more than 900,000 Aruban florins. As a minister, he frequently allowed himself to be bribed, so he deliberately caused damage to the country and the population, according to the Public Prosecution Service.
Sevinger is on trial in the Avestrus (ostrich) case. He is said to have sold government land to businessmen in exchange for money, services and goods. In the last elections, in July 2021, Sevinger was elected for the AVP party with more than 1600 preferential votes in parliament. He was in prison at the time, but was released to take his state seat.