WILLEMSTAD — Three individuals arrested in connection with the ongoing corruption investigation at the Execution Office for Public Works (UOOW), under the Ministry of Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning (VVRP), have been released from custody but remain suspects in the case. 

Among those released are the owner of a construction company and well-known local musician Ortela. A woman arrested earlier this week and another unnamed suspect have also been released. 

The Public Prosecution Service confirmed that several suspects remain in detention, including a man of Haitian nationality who was detained immediately upon arrival from abroad. 

The arrests are part of a broader criminal investigation into alleged large-scale corruption within the UOOW, a government agency responsible for public works and infrastructure projects on the island. The Curaçao National Criminal Investigation Department (Landsrecherche) carried out the arrests on Monday, May 26, and Tuesday, May 27. 

Authorities have not ruled out additional arrests as the investigation continues. Due to the sensitivity of the case, the Public Prosecutor’s Office is currently withholding further details. However, the office emphasized that official corruption seriously undermines public trust and the credibility of government institutions. 

Both the Landsrecherche and the Public Prosecution have made tackling official corruption a top priority, signaling a more aggressive stance on white-collar crime in Curaçao’s public sector.