WILLEMSTAD - The former Minister of Health of Curaçao, Jacinta Constancia, was sentenced by the court on appeal to 21 months in prison on Thursday.

The case concerns fraud with face masks and took place in the period of her ministerial term, between 2010 and 2012. In the first instance, she was sentenced to 20 months in prison. The judge has now added a month to this. Nor may she become a minister for the next five years.

She has two weeks to appeal, which means she can go to the Supreme Court. Her ex-husband received the same punishment. The judge finds it proven that they have committed fraud with the purchase of 40,000 face masks from China. The former minister denies any involvement. Constancia is currently in the parliament of Curaçao for the opposition party MFK.

Photo credit: Persbureau