Widow, ex-prime minister and former police chief indicted in 2021 assassination of Haiti’s president
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A judge investigating the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse issued a final report on Monday that indicts his widow, Martine Moïse, ex-prime minister Claude Joseph and the former chief of Haiti’s National Police, Léon Charles, among others.
The indictments are expected to further destabilize Haiti as it struggles with a surge in gang violence and recovers from a spate of violent protests demanding the resignation of current Prime Minister Ariel Henry. A total of nearly 50 suspects were indicted in the 122-page judge’s report.
Charles, who now serves as Haiti’s permanent representative to the Organization of the American States, faces the most serious charges: murder; attempted murder; possession and illegal carrying of weapons; conspiracy against the internal security of the state; and criminal association.
Meanwhile, Martine Moïse and Joseph are accused of complicity and criminal association.
Charles could not be immediately reached for comment. Neither Joseph nor the spokesman for Martine Moïse’s attorney responded to messages for comment.
Others who face charges including murder are Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Haitian-American pastor who visualized himself as Haiti’s next president and said he thought Moïse was only going to be arrested; Joseph Vincent, a Haitian-American and former informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Dimitri Hérard, presidential security chief; John Joël Joseph, a former Haitian senator; and Windelle Coq, a Haitian senator whom authorities say is a fugitive.
Sanon, Vincent and Joseph were extradited to the U.S., where a total of 11 suspects face federal charges in the slaying of Haiti’s president.
Meanwhile, more than 40 suspects are languishing in prison in Haiti awaiting trial.
It was not immediately clear how quickly a trial would be held following the judge’s findings issued Monday.
The the report released Monday said: “We were able to discover with insight the degree of participation and the role of each of the groups of delinquents who joined together under the influence of Machiavellian plans developed between authors, co-authors, accomplices and henchmen for the purposes of assassinating President Jovenel Moïse.”
