Expensive televisions, two telephones, a scooter, a Rolex, Apple Watches, a boat trip during Sail and a completely new kitchen and bathroom, including the assembly. These are just a few of the gifts that a former official of the municipality of Amsterdam would have received from contractors in exchange for assignments. If it is up to the Public Prosecution Service, the man will receive seven months in prison.
Robert van den E. worked as a work planner at the Municipality’s Engineering Office and is said to have received more than 80 1,000 euros in gifts and services between 2011 and 2016. In return, Van den E., and other fraudulent colleagues from the team, provided secret information, according to the Public Prosecution Service, which gave construction companies a preferential position when tendering large projects. For example, they shared ‘management estimates’, a cost analysis of major projects, so that the quotes would match.
This also happened with the tender for the restoration of the embankment of the Kromboomssloot. The contractor knew in advance that they would get hold of the project and increased the price on the offer by two tons. According to the Public Prosecution Service, that profit ended up in the pockets of the corrupt officials: a method that was used more often.
According to contractors and construction companies who have issued a statement, there was a ‘special relationship’ with municipal officials. The Public Prosecutor had other words for it today: “There was talk of a corrupt working method. Contractors were warned by officials such as Van den E. when projects arrived with the aim that the project ended up with them or for a much too high amount. was put out to tender. Preferential treatment was the goal and the suspect knew this. In this way they benefited companies involved, enriched themselves, but also disadvantaged the taxpayer.”
The Public Prosecution Service also emphasizes the importance of transparency in public administration: “Objective and independent action is essential. This undermines trust in public administration and its functioning. With the actions of the suspect, he has kept corruption alive for years and himself played a very active role.”
Van den E. was present, but mainly relied on his right to remain silent. To several questions, such as who paid the bill for a six-course dinner with contractors in a private dining room of restaurant Bord’Eau, Van den E. had ‘no active memory’. He was also unable to recall the apps with various contractors. “He doesn’t know a lot,” said the Public Prosecutor. “I have often thought about Pinocchio today.”
According to the defendant’s lawyer, it cannot be proved that it was his client who sent the apps. According to the defense, it is also not provable that Van den E. actually accepted the gifts offered.
Today was the first day of the substantive treatment. Two other suspects in the case are due to appear in court in the coming days. This is not the first case against fraudulent municipal officials. Last year, two civil servants were sentenced to community service for fraud with disabled people’s cards. They earned more than 10,000 euros.
The court will rule on October 10.