“Nothing during 2003 – 2008 has been bought according to the rules” The prosecutor in Brussels is considering indicting 13 people, including police officers, who have been involved in procurement in Brussels-Midi police area.
The newspapers De Standaard, Het Belang van Limburg and Het Nieuwsblad reported on Tuesday (9 August) that the investigation, which also involved the cycling legend Eddy Merckx, has been completed.
The suspects entered into contracts with suppliers in exchange for discounts for expensive bicycles, MP3 players and even a trip to Las Vegas. "“Nothing during 2003 – 2008 has been bought according to the rules. The area became a real fraud factory," said a source.
A police commissioner is believed to have informed Eddy Merckx about a tender for 46 bicycles for the police in Anderlecht. In return he would have received a discount for an Eddy Merckx bike worth 2,500 euros.
According to the prosecution, the commissioner is the central person in the investigation, together with another person who worked with purchases for the police. The two main suspects deny the charges against them.
The Brussels Times (Source: Belga)
