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Belgium: Report condemns police bungling

01 March 1997

A parliamentary report into police handling of the Dutroux enquiry has concluded that there were severe errors in the way the Belgian police services carried out their investigations. The report also hints that there may have been a deliberate attempt to hide high-level protection for Dutroux, currently awaiting trial for multiple child murder and sexual abuse (see Statewatch, vol 7 no 1).

The parliamentary committee focused on the internal rivalries between the various police services and judicial authorities that led to a failure to share information properly. It claims that at least four children might be alive to day if the various authorities had done their job.

The report also highlights the various missed opportunities and misuse of resources and criticises the high-handed manner with which the police and judiciary treated the families of the victims. A section of the report that asserts that "the committee finds it difficult not to conclude... that Dutroux and others might have received high levels of protection".

The report calls for sweeping reforms of the police and judicial establishment, including the creation of one federal police force to replace the multitude of agencies that currently police Belgium as well as the streamlining of the judiciary. These reforms were already being discussed by the Ministry for Home Affairs.

The allegations of high-level corruption and a cover-up are due to be reported upon in September. These will be of more concern both to the police and judiciary as well as an already shaky government reeling from a series of scandals and public unrest.

Independent 17.4.97