Jules Wijdenbosch denies bribery allegations

(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO — Former president, Jules Wijdenbosch, says he has no involvement in the bribery scandal rocking Dutch contractor Ballast Nedam (BN). The former head of state calls every allegation simply nonsense and an attempt to stain incumbent NDP in the run- up to the elections.  Dutch news agency, NRC Handelsblad, cited anonymous sources, who claimed BN paid 15.4 million Euros in briberies to secure the contract for the bridges across the Suriname and Coppename Rivers in Suriname.

Jules Wijdenbosch
Jules Wijdenbosch

The former head of state and his advisor back then now president, Desi Bouterse, received a cut in the bribes. Wijdenbosch denies he and Bouterse ever received money from the Dutch firm. Former chairman of the Audit Office, Hands Prade, in his 1997 annual report, had questioned the Nf. 180 million deal for the bridges. No public tender was held and the contract was signed without any designs ever being made. The Audit Office had been denied access to the documents.