There will be an independent investigation into possible negligent actions by Defense in the mortar accident in Mali in 2016 in which first-class soldier Henry Hoving (29) from Winschoten and corporal Kevin Roggeveld (24) from Groningen died and a third was seriously injured.
Minister Kajsa Ollongren (Defence) informed the House of this.
Recently, the radio program Argos reported that the top officials of the ministry did not want an investigation into possible ‘negligence or culpability’ in the run-up to the mortar accident. While the then minister Jeanine Hennis thought it was of “essential importance”.
‘Independent committee’
Ollongren has now informed the SP that an investigation will be carried out after all. “That is why I am setting up an independent committee to investigate whether and how any individual negligent and/or culpable acts can be established and also to follow up on this,” the minister writes.
After the accident in Mali, the Ministry of Defense had an external investigation carried out. But the committee headed by former Shell CEO Jeroen van der Veer did not investigate negligent or culpable acts. He decided this after consultation with the highest official of Defense.
Last year, the Defense organization conducted an internal evaluation of the course of events surrounding the accident, Argos reported. It emerged that the highest official informed Hennis’ successor about Van der Veer’s investigation, but did not do so in full.
Resignation Minister Hennis
Hennis resigned in 2017 after an investigation by the Dutch Safety Board (OVV) into the mortar accident. That report was hard-hitting and concluded that Defense had fallen seriously short.
The relatives of Hoving and Roggeveld have been pressing for a long time for a criminal investigation into possible negligent acts by the Ministry of Defense.