- Former Member of Parliament Rolando Brison faces bribery charges involving payments totaling approximately $92,190 from three co-suspects.
- Prosecutors allege Brison received bribes to advance legislation related to tourism taxes, banking laws, and cryptocurrency legalization.
- All defense lawyers have requested additional investigation materials, including recovered WhatsApp and Signal messages.
Rolando Brison, who served as a Member of Parliament from June 2018 to February 2024, appeared in the Court of First Instance on Monday for a preliminary hearing on bribery charges. The 40-year-old former MP was accompanied by his attorneys Jairo Bloem and Lysandra Peterson as prosecutors detailed accusations in what has been dubbed the “Lissabon” investigation.
The prosecution alleges Brison accepted substantial bribes from three co-defendants: Johan Alexis Dijkhoffz, 58, lottery owner Robbie dos Santos, 68, and businessman identified as S.L.G., 51, who has business interests across St. Maarten and St. Kitts and Nevis. Prosecutors are seeking court orders for Brison to pay $92,190, representing what they claim are illegally obtained funds.
Detailed Allegations
According to the indictment, Dijkhoffz allegedly provided Brison with approximately $1,400 in cash, paid for hotel accommodations, meals, digital store credits, household appliances, and travel expenses. Additionally, Dijkhoffz reportedly settled Brison’s $3,350 legal bill. In exchange, prosecutors claim Brison was expected to advocate for the Adonis Hotel in Cupecoy and champion the Tourist Health Levy Ordinance, which would have imposed a $30 tax on tourists.
Dos Santos allegedly transferred $10,327 to Brison’s prepaid debit card and arranged discounted hotel stays in Curaçao. Meanwhile, S.L.G. is accused of transferring $12,500 to the same card and providing between $50,000 and $60,000 in cash. Prosecutors assert these payments were intended to secure Brison’s support for new banking legislation and cryptocurrency legalization in St. Maarten.
Legal Proceedings and Response
During the hour-long procedural hearing, Brison remained mostly still except for tapping his shoe against the courtroom floor. Defense attorneys requested additional investigation materials, including all messages recovered from WhatsApp and Signal, and for Brison and Dijkhoffz to provide additional testimony before an investigative judge. The court granted these requests.
Outside the courtroom, Brison told reporters he feels “extremely confident” about the case, “as long as the evidence we present is taken seriously.” While not detailing his defense strategy, he expressed intention to be transparent, stating, “I plan to be very open with them about my job and my dedication, and that everything I did was for the people of the country.”
Brison was initially arrested on March 17, 2023, when authorities searched both his residence and parliamentary office, but was released the following day. Co-defendant Dijkhoffz is also implicated in a separate “Jasmine” investigation involving alleged bribery of former Minister of Public Housing, Christophe Emmanuel, who served between December 2016 and January 2018.
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