Koekelberg travelled to Qatar at the head of a six-person delegation at the end of last year in order to present his candidature for a post as vice- president of Interpol, the international police organisation. In the event, the job went to a French candidate.

Last month the P Committee, which oversees police affairs, received an anonymous letter alleging that Sylvie Ricour, one of Koekelberg's secretaries, had made private purchases using police funds. According to the letter, Ricour had bought four suitcases from luxury goods store Delvaux, each costing €400.

Koekelberg admitted buying the suitcases, but argued they were for the use of any member of the commissariat-general who required to travel. The P Committee investigated and found there had been no irregularity. Nevertheless, the admission was a concern among many police officers, who struggle daily with a lack of resources, manpower and overtime as a result of tight police budgets.

Then N-VA parliamentarian Ben Weyts brought forward a circular that Koekelberg had sent to all police departments, calling for tight spending controls and no spending at all unless absolutely necessary. The news was leaked to Weyts that the entire trip, including flights in business class, hotels for six people, a reception for 800 guests and "business gifts" to hand out to those attending, had come to at least €92,000.

Federal interior minister Annemie Turtelboom ordered the P Committee to re-examine the facts of the trip and look into the general accounting of the commissariat-general. Koekelberg, however, took the matter into his own hands on 6 March, and tendered his resignation, speaking of "repeated attacks" over the last four years, as well as "assaults" on his honour that had a detrimental effect on the image of the police.