Bruges Two Bruges justices of the peace and a chief registrar to appear soon, especially for the court of appeal in Ghent. The three years thousands of euros have cashed in by systematic a lot of travel expenses to charge. They risk prison sentences of between 6 months and 5 years. Their lawyers tried to avoid a process by correct procedural errors, but caught a bot in the Room of Incrimination.

It is now certain: the Bruges justice of the peace, T. B. (54), its predecessor, J. L. (73) and chief registrar S. D. (52) should be soon for the court of appeal in Ghent appear. “Knevelarij”, reads the charge, or the unlawful collection of money by public officials, who abuse their position.

Raid in the courthouse

In november 2014 fell the Ghent public prosecutor-general together with the federal police within the office of the clerk of the first district in the Bruges courthouse. The detectives took just about the full accounting. The raid came after an anonymous complaint. Within the first district of the justice of the peace would systematically cheated with the payment of travel expenses. Justices of the peace should, in a dispute, often on the spot to go in people to conclusions and judgement. The costs associated vasthingen, the two judges are systematically too high have to be charged. According to some sources, was of the order of 800 euro per month, making it falsely cashed in money in total would add up to thousands of euros.

‘Rights of defense will be breached’

The system would be in the life are called by justice of the peace, J. L., in april 2013, retired. His successor T. B., the fraud would have continued with the help of chief registrar S. D., that her signature on the expense report’s set. Itself deny the justice of the peace, that he deliberately committed fraud. T. B. is still active today. Disciplinary proceedings against the man was suspended, until a final judgment of a court of law.