Rotterdam officer acquitted of lying in arrest report after five-year legal battle
A Rotterdam police officer accused of lying under oath about a 2020 arrest incident involving a headbutt has been acquitted by the court in The Hague, Rijnmond reports. The judge ruled there was no concrete proof the officer, G.B., 39, intentionally made false statements in his official report about the arrest of a garage owner in the Rotterdam neighborhood of Feijenoord.
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) charged G.B. with perjury five years after the incident, alleging he fabricated details in a police report to justify his use of force during a preventive search operation on June 19, 2020. During that operation, the garage owner attempted to walk away, prompting G.B. to follow him inside and deliver a headbutt while attempting to arrest him.
In his written report, G.B. stated the suspect had grabbed him "forcefully," making it impossible to break free. However, camera footage contradicted that claim, showing no signs of resistance or aggression by the garage owner. In a 2022 judgment, a lower court in Rotterdam found that the report had been “deliberately drawn up in contradiction to the truth” and labeled it a lie. Then-press judge and former Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb also publicly condemned the officer’s actions.
Despite the earlier findings, the Hague court on Friday determined there was insufficient evidence to conclude that G.B. had knowingly lied. While acknowledging that the report contained inaccuracies—especially in the section describing the alleged resistance—the judge said it was unclear whether G.B. acted with intent or made an error due to a flawed recollection of events.
“The question is whether the officer did this deliberately or if it was a mistake caused by an incorrect memory,” the court ruled.
The court considered several mitigating factors. G.B. had promptly informed his supervisor after viewing the camera footage that his written account was inaccurate. The court also found it plausible that a threatening atmosphere inside the garage influenced the officer’s perception of the event. “Other officers confirmed the aggressive atmosphere,” the judge said.
Psychological experts brought in by the defense argued that memory distortions are common in high-stress situations and that police officers are just as vulnerable to these errors as civilians.
The judge further noted the timing of the disputed statement—specifically the claim of being grabbed—directly preceded the officer’s description of delivering the headbutt. “That placement could raise suspicion that the suspect was trying to justify his actions,” the court acknowledged. Still, it added, that suspicion was not enough to prove deliberate deceit.
The OM had demanded 60 hours of community service for perjury, stating, “An accurate police report is the foundation of our criminal justice system.” The court’s ruling brings that prosecution to an end with full acquittal.
Reacting to the verdict, G.B. expressed relief but also frustration. “I hope that colleagues who thought, ‘where there’s smoke, there’s fire,’ now think differently,” he said in an interview with Rijnmond. “For years I was seen in public opinion as the rotten apple, and I wasn’t allowed to speak out. This verdict is a restoration of honor.”
He said he has always acted with integrity throughout his 21-year police career. Quoting from the Bible, he added: “It says we are servants of the government, and I’ve always felt that way. Do good, and you have nothing to fear.”
Although previously fined 250 euros for the headbutt itself, G.B. had long maintained his innocence regarding the content of the report. Now cleared of perjury, he plans to take time off before returning to duty. “I’m relieved, but not happy. I can never get back those five years of misery.”
