The Aruba corruption Sevinger case prison sentence has been finalized after the Supreme Court in the Netherlands rejected all appeals and confirmed the earlier rulings.
On April 14, 2026, the Dutch Supreme Court (Court of Cassation) upheld the conviction of former minister Benny Sevinger, confirming his sentence of four years in prison, with one year suspended. He is also banned for six years from holding any government position or running for public office.
Sevinger was found guilty of multiple offenses, including being an accomplice to defrauding the government, accepting bribes, and misusing public funds.
The court also confirmed sentences for other individuals involved. Maria Leoncita Arends received a sentence of two years in prison, with one year suspended and a three-year probation period. Pieter Susebeek was sentenced to 30 months in prison, with 10 months suspended and a two-year probation period. Additionally, 1.3 million dollars linked to the case will be confiscated.
According to the court, the corruption scheme involved associates of the former minister submitting requests through companies with little or no real value to obtain land rights. These lands were then intended to be resold for significant profit. Sevinger’s role was to approve these requests quickly, bypassing normal administrative procedures and giving priority to certain individuals.
The court also found that the former minister accepted gifts from those involved while making decisions in their favor, which constitutes passive bribery. Furthermore, he used funds from a foundation connected to his election campaign for personal travel expenses, which was classified as embezzlement.
The Aruba corruption Sevinger case prison sentence has triggered strong reactions across Aruba, with public and political responses highlighting concerns about corruption and governance.
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