This follows a shocking picture, among other things because information in parliament was erased in order to evade the law. The National Criminal Investigation Department has been investigating the ‘Acar’ in the past period. The popular former chamber chairman was accused of ‘power abuse’ and a ‘reign of terror’. The board of the House of Representatives – the presidency – decided to investigate Arib. This decision leaked through NRC, even before Arib was aware.
Vera Bergkamp made a declaration
Former chamber chairman Vera Bergkamp (D66) therefore reported this leak, on which the National Criminal Investigation started the investigation. From pieces that have now come from Nieuwsuur, Follow the Money and de Volkskrant, a picture follows that top officials and protagonists had mutual coordination about this and remove their traces afterwards, according to the investigation research. In the meantime, Arib is almost free by an external investigation into the accusations.
Former spokesperson is on trial
The former spokesperson for Vera Bergkamp, Sonja K., is currently considered a suspect. She is accused by the judiciary of violating professional secrecy because it would have leaked information to NRC. The OM demanded 140 hours of task in May, the judge will rule on that on Thursday.
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But the criminal file shows a shocking image. For example, it became clear that K. had discussed with top officials to leak information to NRC. A so-called ‘scenario consultation’ also present former clerk Simone Roos and her right hand (the former Housing Director) Jaap van R.. Phone information would show that K. then travels to Amsterdam that afternoon: her phone is being spilled in the vicinity of the editors of NRC.
Name spokesperson was missing
But the National Criminal Investigation Department thinks that more people were aware of the plan to leak information. Van R. was also considered by the OM as a suspect. His phone information shows that he already had contact with the relevant journalist of NRC prior to the Lek.
If Bergkamp reports the Lek, it appears that the name of Sonja K. is missing. Even if Bergkamp requires a few days later for a concretization of the declaration, the name of Sonja K. remains outside the declaration. According to Nieuwsuur and FTM, it is now evident from the file that former clerk Simone Roos (and current member of the police police) had the name of Sonja K. removed from the list. She says she has informed Bergkamp in advance.
Former spokeswoman denies talking to the press in case of former Chamber President Arib: ‘I would not leak about something punishable’
Moreover, Bergkamp, Roos and Van R. stated that they were ‘robbed’ by the publication by NRC. However, their telephone data shows that they had intensive contact with each other shortly before, which raises big question marks.
The file shows that the National Criminal Investigation even has indications that Roos and Van R. ‘Conscious Message Traffic have been associated with the subject of the research of the National Criminal Investigation. And: “There is a suspicion that people have consciously started calling via the Signal application to prevent conversations from being overcoming.”
Messages erased, contrary to the law
Moreover, D66’er Vera Bergkamp has erased all her chat messages with Van R. and Roos, she explains in the confidential file of the National Criminal Investigation Department. This is contrary to the Open Government Act (WOO).
Former clerk and senior official felt vision ‘victim’
In eavesdropping telephone conversations between Roos and Van R. it appears that the two were jointly rising and ‘buddies’ were, in the words of Roos, the publications show. Roos calls the decision to investigate Arib “historical.” Both felt victim of Arib. “It had a personal meaning for us. And Jaap and I had shown really leadership because we had come out of the closet as a victim by confirming the report.”
Chamber board is not conducting an investigation for the time being and the judge is awaiting in case-stress: ‘But we take it very seriously’
In addition, former clerk Roos also states that Bergkamp’s secretary had to erase documents from Bergkamp. “She always removed a lot.” According to Roos, that would be to prevent documents from becoming public through the Open Government Act.
Van R. states in his interrogation that it was rose that gave the instruction to erase documents: “There has been a period where the instructions were: delete everything.” Those instructions came from the then clerk, according to Van R.
According to de Volkskrant, the deleted emails from Bergkamp to suspicious K. also raise many questions at the National Criminal Investigation Department. Bergkamp, for example, sent a secret advice from the national lawyer to her spokesperson twice. Then Bergkamp and the highest official boss of the Chamber asked her to erase these emails. Bergkamp also knew she herself.
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Van R. himself a letter from letter about Arib
Moreover, a remarkable new fact from the criminal file is that Lek suspect of R. Not only was one of the senior officials who insisted in 2022 on the investigation into Arib, but also one of the authors appears to be of a decisive letter, after which the investigation into Arib was started.
Thursday the House of Representatives will meet
On Thursday, Sonja K., the first suspect in the case, will be told whether she is being convicted. Later that afternoon the daily management of the House of Representatives will meet to determine whether she also wants the role of Bergkamp and the (former) top officials to be examined. Current room chairman Martin Bosma (PVV) said earlier that ‘the appearance of the Lower House’ is at stake.
Possibly more people prosecuted
The file shows that the National Criminal Investigation Department did save the telephone data in that period of all nine MPs who had access to the leaked information, including Vera Bergkamp. This is in connection with “a possible later suspicion against one or more MPs,” says the pieces. Research into MPs can only be done by Attorney General at the Supreme Court. The government or the House of Representatives must order this.