Khalid Kasem, host of BNNVARA talk show Khalid & Sophietemporarily stops working after reporting from it A.D in which he is accused of corruption. The broadcaster confirmed this on Friday.
Before Kasem was a presenter, he worked as a criminal lawyer at the law firm of Peter R. de Vries. It A.D says it has an audio file in which a former client of the firm accuses Kasem of corruption. Kasem allegedly offered the client to bribe an official for him. The client claims in the recording that Kasem did take the money, but then pocketed it. The client then went to Peter R. de Vries, according to the AD, to tell him about the bribe. De Vries would probably have recorded that conversation himself, which took place in 2019. It is unclear how the audio recording reached the AD.
Kasem responds to the AD: “It concerned a client with a high outstanding account. I tried inappropriately to get some of that paid. It is nothing more than that.”
The Judicial Intelligence Service, where the official is said to have worked, is investigating the case. BNNVARA also says that “the allegations must be thoroughly investigated.” Pending that investigation, Kasem will temporarily step down as presenter after consultation with BNNVARA.