WILLEMSTAD - The Court of Justice will review the appeal case of former Central Bank director Emsley Tromp on January 8, 2026. Tromp was previously convicted of forgery and received a six-month suspended prison sentence.

During a preliminary hearing held last Thursday, Tromp’s attorney presented the defense’s arguments via video link. The lawyer maintained that there were no valid grounds to initiate criminal proceedings against his client, claiming that the investigation was launched under political pressure, partly from the Netherlands, with the alleged goal of removing Tromp from his position as President of the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CBCS).

According to the prosecution, Tromp is accused of falsifying documents to justify financial transactions totaling approximately USD 400,000. The funds were reportedly used for expenses related to Curaçao Fashion Group, a clothing company, before being transferred to his pension accounts.

The defense firmly denies any criminal wrongdoing and has requested the court to hear several witnesses, including a CBCS employee and an investigative officer. The Court is expected to decide on this request in the coming week.

The substantive hearing of Tromp’s appeal will take place on January 8, 2026.

Tromp, who served as President of the CBCS for nearly two decades, was also found civilly liable in 2022 for unlawful conduct in the granting of bonuses at the Central Bank. However, the current criminal case focuses specifically on the alleged forgery of personal financial documents.