Prosecutors accuse judge in The Hague of forging updates in dozens of appellate cases
A former judge at The Hague Court of Appeals will be prosecuted for forgery, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) announced on Wednesday. According to the OM, the judge deliberately faked updates in around 40 appeal cases in 2022 and 2023. In doing so, the judge harmed the integrity of the judicial system.
The investigation into the judge was launched following a report from the Court of Appeals in February 2024. According to the OM, investigators found enough evidence to show that the former judge untruthfully drafted documents in roll hearings - hearings intended solely for the purpose of making procedural decisions with no substantive hearing.
The former judge allegedly forged documents to pretend that these hearings had taken place in the presence of three judges, while the suspect had conducted the hearings alone. The investigation revealed no indications that more judges were involved in this forgery.
“Although these were non-substantive hearings, the suspicion is serious,” the OM said. “Those seeking justice must be able to assume that the documents drafted by judges correspond to the truth. This case, therefore, affects the integrity of the judiciary. For this reason, it has been decided to bring this case before the court in a public hearing.
The investigation was carried out by the Rijksrecherche, a national, independent investigative service that examines criminal allegations against public officials, malfeasance by civil servants, and whether proper procedures are followed in serious incidents, like the use of force by police officers. The office operates under the supervision of the OM, with investigatory findings handed over to prosecutors.
