Report slams justice ministry failings over deal with drugs baron (update)

There is no evidence to suggest that senior justice ministry officials deliberately covered up details about a controversial deal between a former chief prosecutor and a drugs dealer, the committee investigating the scandal said on Wednesday.

Nevertheless, there was a lack of clear, effective leadership and unity within the department which could be more serious than any cover up, the report into the affair said. In addition, officials showed a lack of political sensitivity.

Hardline justice minister Ivo Opstelten and his deputy Fred Teeven resigned last year following revelations about a 4.7 million guilder payment authorised by Teeven to a convicted drugs baron in 2001.

Opstelten had consistently told parliament Cees H had been handed back 1.25 million guilders but both men stood down when evidence that the payment actually totalled 4.7 million guilders was found.

Television programme Nieuwsuur had reported that ministry IT experts had been ordered to stop trying to find evidence of the payment, leading to suspicions that officials were involved in a cover up.

‘Anyone reading this report would be shocked by the blunders made by senior officials,’ said RTL commentator Fons Lambie. ‘These are people who are responsible for the security of the Netherlands. If they make such errors with such a sensitive issue, then the ministry has a serious problem.’

MPs

Opposition MPs said they were shocked by the report’s findings and several parties have called for the ministry to be split into two. Responsibility for the police and security was moved to the justice ministry after the last election.

D66 leader Alexander Pechtold said the justice and security ministry is a ‘megalomaniac’ operation ‘which does not work, is in permanent chaos and which the minister has no control of.’

Justice minister Ard van der Steur told MPs in a briefing later that the report highlights ‘evident failings’ and that he accepted the commission’s conclusions.