The Ministry of Defence, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee and the Public Prosecution Service knew that overdue maintenance was the cause of the fatal mortar accident in Mali in 2016, but did not disclose it. Instead, they stuck to their own investigations, even when it became clear that they most likely could not be correct. This is the conclusion of the Dutch Safety Board after additional investigation.
In 2017, the OVV published a hard-hitting report that showed that the Defense ‘had fallen seriously short’. The OVV concluded that the ignition mechanism of the mortar shell was unstable. Moisture and heat made them shock-sensitive and explosive. This caused the premature detonation of the mortar shell. Two Dutch soldiers were killed in the mortar accident and a third was seriously injured.
However, the Ministry of Defense and the KMar came up with their own, other investigations and questioned the OVV conclusions. According to the Ministry of Defense, a manufacturing error was the cause of the accident. This mistake would have put the grenade on target.
Because the fact-finding investigations by the KMar and OVV are not unanimous about the facts, the Public Prosecution Service decided at the beginning of last year not to prosecute Defense employees. However, a British expert report commissioned by the Public Prosecution Service in 2019 endorsed the conclusions of the OVV, but this was not shared with the Ministry of Defense.
Dismissal
Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert resigned as Minister of Defense because of the situation. “I am politically responsible. I take that responsibility fully,” Hennis said. “It ends here today. I’m retiring as defense minister.” She said that shortages in Defense can never be an excuse. General Tom Middendorp also resigned. He was the highest-ranking soldier in the Defense Forces.
Hennis said that on several occasions, “human action and inaction together have provided the context for the tragic events in which two of our servicemen were killed and a third soldier was seriously injured.” This is indigestible.”
The relatives of the killed soldiers went to court in response to the OVV report in 2017. They believe that this is a case of culpable homicide.
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