The owner of farm shed where asylum seekers were allegedly raped and forced to have sex with animals while being filmed and photographed is demanding that the renter be forced to vacate the property. The Rotterdam owner claims he knew nothing of the alleged activities in the Kraggenburg shed and has demanded an end to the rental contract with suspect E. van E. But the 46-year-old denies the sex allegations and is refusing to budge. The matter will now be fought out in the Lelystad court on 14 July. One week later five main suspects, Van E. and two Belgians and their partners will appear in court for a pre-trial hearing. They are charged membership of a criminal gang, kidnapping, assault, sexual abuse and rape. The victims are allegedly three young asylum seekers. The trial will officially start on 7 September.

UWV breached external services budget

Social Affairs Minister Aart Jan de Geus has come under renewed criticism after it was revealed that social security authority UWV breached its budget in the contracting in of external services. The budget of EUR 40 million was exceeded to the tune of EUR 135 million or 238 percent last year. De Geus previously attracted the wrath of MPs after the UWV — which supervises WW unemployment benefits and WAO worker disability pensions — exceeded its budget on renovations on its main office in Amsterdam. That affair cost the job of UWV chief Tjibbe Joustra in March.

Ahold, shareholders battle it out in court

The legal battle between the Dutch Association of Shareholders (VEB) and Dutch retailer Ahold started in Amsterdam on Thursday. The business chamber of the Amsterdam Appeals Court must decide if an investigation should be launched into possible mismanagement of the Dutch supermarket concern. The investigation will play a central role in the court’s final ruling over possible mismanagement. Ahold revealed massive accountancy fraud at the start of 2003 and share prices fell dramatically. If Ahold is found guilty of mismanagement, the road will be open for shareholders to claim damages.

Dutch consider new organ donor system

The Dutch government is considering introducing a controversial organ donation system, which would automatically register those who do not respond to several inquiries as donors. Currently people must voluntarily offer to donate their organs in the case of death. Just 200 organs are donated in the Netherlands each year, while around 1,400 are needed, Radio Netherlands reported.

Almere gets tough in fight against public sex

Police, the forestry service Staatsbosbeheer and the Almere Council plan to get tougher in the fight against public sex on the city’s beaches this summer. Many residents and beachgoers have complained about indecent and offensive behaviour of couples having sex on the beaches Almeerderzand and Zilverstrand. Police started regular patrols of the beaches last year after a series of complaints were lodged, but couples are still using the beaches as a sex meeting point.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch news