Former Surinamese Trade Minister, Siegfried Gilds was convicted on a money laundering charge on Monday and sentenced to a year in prison for his involvement in a relative’s drug deal.

The Minister was found guilty of laundering drug money from a cousin in The Netherlands, by buying houses and land between 2000 and 2005 while serving in the government.

Siegfried Gilds

The Associated Press reported that the relative, Andy Groenwoud testified against Gilds saying that he was his business representative in Suriname. Groenwoud was sentenced in 2006 for related drug convictions.

Gilds, who was also Justice Minister before being appointed Suriname’s Trade Minister in 2005, maintains his innocence and is expected to appeal the ruling.

Caribbean Net News reported that Gilds’ trial started in 2006 after prosecutors in Suriname were tipped off from the Dutch authorities in the Netherlands about his ties to the money laundering deal. It said too, that his cousin revealed during his trial that the minister was his agent in Suriname, taking care of his financial and other businesses.

The report said also that Gilds is the second ex-minister from the ruling New Front coalition led by President Ronald Venetiaan, who has been found guilty on criminal charges, adding that last December former minister of Public Works, Dewanand Balesar was sentenced to a two-year jail term for corruption.

Further, it noted that while he served as Justice Minister Gilds had announced a plan with the Netherlands to fight cocaine trafficking between Suriname and Europe, and that he had resigned his post as Trade Minister shortly after being appointed, citing his cousin’s drug investigation.