WILLEMSTAD – The legal representative of Alfonso Trona has challenged the procedures followed during SOAB's internal audits of Curaçao's Tax Collector's Office, arguing that her client was not given a fair opportunity to examine the underlying evidence and respond to the findings while suspended from his position.
The objections are contained in correspondence included with the two audit reports submitted to the Curaçao Parliament by Finance Minister Charles Cooper on October 23.
Trona's attorney, Olga Kostrzewski of Kostrzewski Delfgaauw Legal & Tax, disputed the handling of the hearing and response process associated with the audit reports.
According to the lawyer, Trona had been suspended from his duties as head of the Tax Collector's Office and consequently lacked access to the workplace, internal administrative systems, and relevant documentation.
The attorney argued that these restrictions made it difficult for him to prepare a substantive response to the audit findings.
She maintained that access to the underlying files, records, and correspondence was necessary for Trona to verify the auditors' conclusions and present an adequate defense.
The correspondence also raised concerns about the time available for responding to the draft reports.
Trona's legal representative argued that the circumstances surrounding his suspension and the limited access to information prevented him from participating effectively in the response process.
The lawyer further maintained that her client had not been found guilty of misconduct and should not be treated as though the allegations against him had already been established.
SOAB, however, documented its own account of the process.
According to correspondence included in the report, the auditors stated that Trona had been given opportunities to respond to the draft findings and that extensions had been provided.
SOAB also indicated that the audit process could not remain open indefinitely while awaiting a response.
The disagreement reflects a broader dispute over procedural fairness, access to information, and the rights of officials who are the subject of internal investigations.
Finance Minister Cooper had previously informed Trona that he could respond to the SOAB reports despite his suspension.
The correspondence indicates that the minister's authorization was intended to allow the response process to proceed.
However, Trona's attorney argued that formal permission to respond did not resolve the practical difficulties caused by his lack of access to the department's records.
The legal dispute does not, by itself, invalidate SOAB's findings. Equally, the existence of audit findings does not establish criminal liability.
The documents show that the audit process became contested before the reports were finalized.
With the reports now before Parliament, lawmakers have access not only to SOAB's findings but also to the objections raised on Trona's behalf.
The disagreement could become relevant to parliamentary discussions about the reliability of the findings, the procedures followed during the investigation, and the administrative handling of the case.