As published by DIARIO, last Friday, Judge Hues of the Court of First Instance issued a sentence in the criminal case initiated by the Public Ministry against Kenneth Rudolf Vrolijk, 31 years old. The judge did not follow the Prosecutor’s demand. Hues sentenced Vrolijk to a lower prison sentence than the Prosecutor had requested and did not issue an immediate detention order.
Prosecutor’s Request: On February 6, 2026, during the trial, Vrolijk was accused of fraud with the Aruba Sport Subsidy Foundation (SSA), misappropriation of public funds, abuse of position, and misuse of his role as a government employee.
Between May 2023 and September 2024, Vrolijk misappropriated more than 180,000 Florins of government funds. The funds were transferred through the bank accounts of four other individuals (called “dummy accounts”) and subsequently ended up in Vrolijk’s account.
Instead of distributing subsidies for sports projects, Vrolijk paid them to himself.
The Prosecutor had demanded a fine of 7,720.63 Florins, the amount still owed by Vrolijk.
In addition to this, the Prosecutor requested a prison sentence of 2 years and 6 months for Vrolijk, along with a 7-year ban from working as a government employee.
The Prosecutor also requested Vrolijk’s immediate detention due to the risk that he might try to flee to avoid serving his sentence.
Judgment: Judge Hues concluded the case and delivered the sentence. The judge found that Vrolijk worked for the Ministry as a budget coordinator and was guilty of defrauding SSA and the government, as well as abusing his position. The judge noted that Vrolijk had abused his role.
Guilty of Government Fraud: The judge stated that Vrolijk had made written statements in which he admitted to his actions. He explained that he used “dummy accounts,” employees whose bank accounts he used to transfer funds and later receive the money himself.
The judge found Vrolijk guilty of fraud with SSA, misusing his position, and misappropriating funds, totaling 184,173 Florins.
Rejection of the Fine: The judge rejected the Prosecutor’s request for a fine of 7,720.63 Florins, stating that Vrolijk had already paid back the funds he misappropriated, and there was no need for the fine.
The judge emphasized that it was incredible that Vrolijk had taken advantage of funds meant for sports organizations. These funds were supposed to benefit local sports organizations, but Vrolijk used them for personal gain.
Sending a Strong Message: The judge stated that the sentence was intended to send a message that the misuse of government funds would not be tolerated. The judge noted that this was Vrolijk’s first offense, and while he had taken responsibility for his actions, it was important to protect the community from potential future offenses.
Sentence: The judge sentenced Vrolijk to 16 months in prison, with 10 months suspended and 3 years probation. Additionally, Vrolijk is banned from working as a government employee for 5 years.
The judge explained that the Prosecutor had requested Vrolijk’s immediate detention, but since the sentence was less than 1 year, the judge did not issue a detention order.
It remains to be seen whether the Public Ministry will appeal the sentence, considering several of its demands were rejected. If the sentence is appealed, the Superior Court, which consists of three judges, will review the case and decide whether to uphold the sentence or not.
