Philippe Gonda, a 58-year-old man from Verviers, is one of the 37 defendants in the “Pharmaceutica” case, a large-scale international cocaine trafficking operation run by a criminal organization. Gonda has a unique history of being sentenced twice by Belgian assize courts. In 1988, he was initially given the death penalty (which was later reduced to life imprisonment) for killing a gendarme during his escape from Huy prison in 1986. In 1996, the same court condemned him to another sentence for causing the death of a prison guard while escaping from Lantin prison in 1992. In the “Pharmaceutica” case, Gonda is suspected of being involved in the sale and supply of narcotics following his parole release in 2013. However, he denies the accusations and claims that he approached one of the alleged leaders of the criminal organization for a loan of €15,000. A search of his property revealed a plastic bag containing “brol,” which he denies having anything to do with.
Among the 37 defendants in the “Pharmaceutica” file, a vast case of international cocaine trafficking in the form of a criminal organization, is Philippe Gonda, a 58-year-old Verviétois who has the specificity of having already been sentenced twice. by Belgian assize courts.
In December 1988 he received the death sentence (later commuted to life imprisonment) for having killed a gendarme during his run following his escape from Huy prison in 1986. In January 1996, the Assize Court of Liège had once more condemned him for having caused the death of his hostage, a prison guard, during his escape from Lantin prison in 1992.
Conversations with one of the leaders
In the “Pharmaceutica” file, Philippe Gonda is suspected of having converted to the sale or supply of narcotics following his release on parole in 2013. Listening carried out in March 2021 using specific research methods revealed conversations recorded in a car between him and one of the alleged leaders of the criminal organization. He was also reportedly observed taking orders and delivering packages.
But the defendant speaks of dubious cross-checks during the investigation, confusion or erroneous accusations. “The police suspect a lot of people of a lot of things, while I didn’t do anything. This man with whom I was in contact was a friend from whom I asked for a loan of 15,000 euros, ”he says.
During a search, a police dog sniffing out traces of narcotics marked the stop on a plastic bag. “It’s ‘brol’ which was in my cellar. But I never had drugs in my house,” he said.
The trial involving Philippe Gonda and other defendants in the “Pharmaceutica” case continues to unfold amidst allegations of international cocaine trafficking. Gonda, who has twice faced convictions in Belgian assize courts, denies any involvement in the current case. Despite this, conversations recorded between him and a suspected leader of the drug trafficking organization suggest otherwise, as do observations of him taking orders and delivering packages. Gonda maintains that there have been dubious cross-checks during the investigation and that he has been wrongly accused. The trial is ongoing, and the outcome remains to be seen.
