Veerle (not her real name) is shocked when she reads a letter from the police. It states that she is suspected of assault and must report to the police station. Veerle, 75 years old, can hardly believe it. She has never harmed anyone and does not understand how she could be suspected of a crime. Hoping for clarity, she calls the detective. He tells her she will only receive more information if she reports to the station.
A week later, Veerle appears at the police station with her lawyer. She expects that they can quickly resolve the misunderstanding. But as soon as Veerle enters, she is immediately arrested. She must hand over her belongings and is searched. Veerle does not understand what is happening to her.
A Big Mistake
During the interrogation, the police ask her questions about her daily life and what she knows about the assault. Veerle says she is retired, enjoys walking, and volunteers for the church. Gradually, the detectives realize that this kind, elderly lady is not the person they are looking for. Because it is a mistake, she is allowed to go home.
Why Suspected?
Although Veerle recovers at home from the shock, it does not let go of her. Therefore, she files a complaint about it. She does this with the Public Prosecution Service (OM), because the OM gave the police the order for her arrest. In her complaint, she describes how unpleasant she found the arrest and interrogation. She asks for a formal apology and wants to know why she was suspected.
Unclear Explanation from the OM
The OM initially offers apologies, but the explanation they give is unclear. Therefore, Veerle contacts us. Colleague Lily (not her real name) also finds the OMs response unclear and asks for a better explanation. Then follows a new letter from the OM, with a sincere apology and a clear explanation. Apparently, the confusion arose because Veerle has the same name and age as the real suspect. In the OM and police systems, only she appeared as a possible suspect.
Acknowledge Your Mistakes and Be Clear
I hope Veerle can now leave this painful situation behind her. Although such mistakes are fortunately rare, it shows how important it is that the government acknowledges its mistakes. And clearly explains how something could happen if something does go wrong. Although the OM initially failed to do this, it is good that they did so after our intervention.
This column appeared in De Telegraaf on November 8, 2025. The person in the photo is not the person from the text.
