~Female D.F. released, but will remain a suspect~
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Member of Parliament (MP) Silvio Matser had his detention extended by 8 days on Friday afternoon, March 4.
The procedure used by the Prosecutor’s Office in the arrest of the MP was deemed to be correct by the Judge in the Court of First Instance on St. Maarten Friday afternoon.
Matser was arrested on Wednesday, March 2, along with two suspects in the “Octopus” investigation, which is seeking to punish suspects believed to be involved in vote buying. A female, with the initials D.F., was also arrested as 400 grams of cocaine was found in the home of one of the “Octopus” suspects in which D.F. was located.
On Thursday, March 3, three suspects with initials W.B., J.B. and R.C., were detained, and on Friday, March 4, two suspects with initials G.W. and R.Y. were brought in for questioning and then released. They, however, remain as suspects in the ongoing “Octopus” investigation.
The female D.F., who was arrested on Wednesday, was also released on Friday, and remains a suspect in the drug investigation.
Norman Serphos of the Attorney-General’s office, confirmed that more arrests are possible in the “Octopus” investigation.
*** UPDATE 6:00PM***: Silvio Matser, Rogelio Koeiman and Eddy Fleming detention was extended by eight (8) more days
