ANTWERP (ANP) – Rudy van Rillaer, the former CEO of PostNL Belgium, heard demands for his acquittal in the Antwerp court on Thursday. Two years ago, the Belgian authorities briefly detained him because of his possible involvement in abuses within the company he led at the time. “I had to wait two years for this lawsuit,” he tells ANP. “I maintain that I am not to blame.”
The court in Antwerp will hear a case against the Belgian branch of PostNL on Thursday and Friday. According to the judiciary, two units, PostNL Cargo and PostNL Parcels, were said to have had too much authority over personnel deployed through subcontractors. The Public Prosecution Service has only demanded penalties against these parts, in the form of fines with a total value of more than 24 million euros. PostNL Holding and two top executives have gone unpunished as far as the law is concerned. Including Van Rillaer
The former CEO has looked forward to hearing the case. “Personally and emotionally, this must come to an end. I have been carrying this cross for two years, wrongly,” says Van Rillaer. Yet he only seems reassured when the judge has pronounced his sentence, despite the acquittal demand from the Public Prosecution Service on Thursday. “It’s difficult for me to say anything about it now. It’s a matter of hoping and waiting.”
Van Rillaer was arrested at the end of March 2022. This happened after the Belgian justice department raided three PostNL depots. At the time, he was suspected of leading a criminal organization and there were also allegations of human trafficking and forgery. A week later, Van Rillaer was released again.
