OM demands 140 hours of community service against former chamber spokesperson Arib: suspicious appointments and telephone calls

The Public Prosecution Service demands 140 hours of community service against a spokesperson for the House of Representatives who is suspected of leaks. She would have passed on information about initiating an external investigation into the behavior of former Chamber President Khadija Arib. This was apparent on Thursday in the substantive treatment of the criminal case in the court of The Hague. The OM supports the case against Sonja K. with statements from the officials and telephone information involved.

The Presidium, the board of the House of Representatives consisting of eight MPs, had decided on September 28, 2022 to investigate Arib. That evening already stood in NRCwith passages from the advice of the national lawyer that was based on the decision. The then Chamber President Vera Bergkamp (D66), successor to Arib, then reported it because of the leakage of confidential information. Two and a half years later, Bergkamp’s own spokesperson is on trial.

Arib, present in the courtroom this Thursday, shot full when the judge read her victim statement

Arib had already waved goodbye as Chamber President in 2021, but was appointed in 2022 to lead a parliamentary committee that would investigate the Corona Pandemie policy. Civil servants feared that they were again suffering from what they considered as cross -border behavior. In 2023, those complaints were partly endorsed by a investigation by Hoffmann investigation agency.

Arib, present in the courtroom this Thursday, shot full when the judge read her victim statement. She demands 1,500 euros compensation for the damage to her ‘honor and good name’.

‘Steam-chasing session’

It is important in the case that the OM considers the ‘scenario session’ of the official management team. He took place a few hours before NRC brought the news about the intended investigation. K. was there. After the unanimous decision to investigate, Bergkamp would make contact with Arib. The possibility that Arib would then take the flight forward or already had acquainted with the decision, was part of the discussion. That this meeting, with a number of civil servants, had taken place during a second investigation by the National Criminal Investigation, after those involved had not given this no publicity at an earlier stage.

K. was in charge of the meeting, « not substantively, only to structure, » she said. According to K., a scenario was talked about in which publicity was sought, but only as part of a brainstorm in which all options were ‘ended’. She remembered that she had written the scenario that Arib would be the first to come out on the flip-over. « My role is to oversee the chessboard, » said K. « What could happen? »

However, a civil servant had noticed, according to K. jokingly, that « Sonja can call someone ». To which she said, « I’m not going to call for that. » She herself now called that a « gesture. » And K. would have said that « she has chopped with this ax more often, » according to a civil servant. She fought that. Another had said it was « cold », the suggestion that leaks was an option.

Phone details also indicate contact with the NRC journalist. K. stated that he could not remember this anymore, but that she could only speculate that the journalist insisted as the publication approached. K. acknowledged that she had told the NRC journalist at an earlier stage that « maybe news came from the House of Representatives » and that she had beaten this up later. According to her, the contacts could also have to deal with another client she worked for at the time.

National lawyer

The OM also finds a trip to Amsterdam in the afternoon of that 28th September. She had emailed an excuse to colleagues about that: her daughter would be injured and she had to go to Utrecht. She now said that she herself no longer saw a role in the office and went away more often. Because that day colleagues “On Edge« (Tense) and she might look up, she had made up something for her absence. She went to the Haarlemmerdijk in Amsterdam, in her own words because she often comes to her old neighborhood. She no longer knew what she had done there that specific afternoon.

The OM assumes that they are the NRC-Journalist met eight legally and convincingly proven that she has leaked. She was also in possession of the advice of the national lawyer, that Chamber President Bergkamp had sent her. The managers of the civil service did not have this, the Public Prosecution Service noted. The consequences of leaking were great: not only for Arib, according to the OM, but also official managers who thought they could no longer continue and stepped up.

Injury

The damage caused by the case to her one -man company is great, said K. her buffer as an entrepreneur has evaporated, she has to sell her house. She finds worse the reputation damage and the doubt about her integrity. Whether she is acquitted or not, she said, « there is no minister who hires me. » She said that one client sticks her at five hours a month.

Her lawyer Robert Malewicz asked acquittal. « We do not know what was discussed. Yes, there was telephone contact. Sometimes short, sometimes a little longer. Whether information has also been leaked there, cannot be fed with evidence. »

He also stated that no investigation was done into politicians, including in the presidium, who could have leaked. Since the OM cannot do this, he asked the court to declare the OM inadmissible. Only the government or the House of Representatives can decide to let them try before the Supreme Court.

The OM assumes that she met the NRC journalist and eight legal and convincing that she has leaked

According to him, there is plenty of other scenarios, « no research has been done into it, » said Malewicz. « Who has been at height now? » He possibly mentioned other MPs, group leaders and group supporters. « And there were also three officials present at the presidency meeting. » According to him, several people were able to « on the N-Schijf, » he said on the basis of statements by officials. He also emphasizes that his client had « no interest ».

Merchandise

There is also a second suspect in the picture, an official from the then management of the Lower House. No prosecution has been established against him at the moment. One of the involved in the article NRC-Journalists have been interrogated, who relied on the right of non -disclosure.

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