Serious accusation from American journalist
MSNBC producer connects possible ‘witness’ with high ranked policeman
Bon Dia Aruba
4/6/2006

ORANJESTAD—The fact that there is another commissioner in charge of the investigation of the disappearance of Natalee Holloway led to some speculation about what was the real motive. These speculations took life especially in the American media, which in one way or the other continues with a twisted view about Aruba.

Bon Dia Aruba received information that a producer from the cable channel MSNBC made a connection between a supposed drug dealer, B.N., and Natalee Holloway, given that the former admitted to selling drugs to the latter. The problem is, according to this producer, that this person is Commissioner Dompig’s brother-in-law. The American journalist related the whole conversation he had with B.N., in the presence of Fred Golba, who recently was still in Aruba, under the request of Commissioner Dompig himself. Among other things, one of the investigators in the investigative team admitted to the journalist that B.N. is a person of interest, and that he gave Fred Golba the freedom to investigate him, but not officially. The police never let Golba conduct an official investigation.

According to the MSNBC producer, B.N. is known on the beach in front of Moomba. He himself was present when B.N. was selling cocaine and marijuana. “Police were passing by, but never even saw what was happening”, the reporter said in a letter which arrived at Bon Dia Aruba. So much so that B.N. even showed Fred Golba a ‘hiding place’ from where he was able to see Natalee’s hotel room, according to the American producer.

B.N. related too that he knew beforehand of the Alabama group’s travels, and that Natalee approached him to buy drugs. Here, the journalist quoted B.N. saying that Natalee even asked for alcohol (something which is not logical, given that the Alabama group had an ‘all inclusive’ package which also included alcohol). Following the American journalist’s account in a letter, B.N. procured for the whole Alabama group to obtain access to drugs during their stay in Aruba. B.N. went into detail about everything to do with Natalee and the group with the journalist, and this whole conversation was recorded. The same member of the investigative team who was in contact with the journalist asked for this recording, given that the team did not have all these details. But the reporter did not give him the recording.

It was interesting that B.N. said to the American gentleman that he knows more about the case, but that only money would make him talk.

It has to be said that it is not the first time that Bon Dia Aruba has heard of this person B.N., however, there was no way to obtain official confirmation of what exactly was his involvement and whether the relation he has to Commissioner Dompig plays a role in this investigation or not.

In any case, he got in contact with Fred Golba, who mentioned him to the MSNBC reporter. His reaction was that [with?] the journalist is frustrated and that B.N. has a kid’s mind. “You can quote me. A parrot has more consciousness than B.N.”, Golba said to Bon Dia Aruba.

In what relates to the journalist, Golba said that he really did meet with him in Aruba, and even brought him to the police station once. But now that the reporter didn’t get what he wanted, he started to act irritated. Golba is not aware if there truly was a conversation between the journalist and B.N., or if there was really an exchange of drugs. “If I was aware of this, I would have gone to police immediately”, Golba assured Bon Dia Aruba. “The authorities are doing the best they can, under the current circumstances. B.N., in my mind, is not a person that can be counted on”. He also got in touch with the investigative team to see what their comments were, and the only reaction that he found was that they could not say anything. Bon Dia Aruba is aware that in the past they have already spoken with B.N. and that they are aware of his statements. What’s more, B.N. called other reporters (local) to say that he knows what happened to Natalee Holloway. But this person never really concretized what he wanted to say.