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Haiti President's widow Martine Moise among dozens indicted in his killing

Martine Moise speaks during the funeral for her husband, slain Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, on July 23, 2021, in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, the main city in his native northern region. (Photo: Valerie Baeriswyl/ AFP)

By Agency | Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Jovenel Moise, 53, was gunned down in July 2021 at his private residence by a group of about 20 assailants, most of them Colombian mercenaries.

A Haitian judge has indicted dozens of people over alleged involvement in the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, including his widow, a former prime minister and an ex-chief of police, according to local media.

Moise, 53, was gunned down in July 2021 at his private residence by a group of about 20 assailants, most of them Colombian mercenaries. His security detail did not intervene to protect him.

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Since his death, Haiti has only spiralled deeper into chaos. No election has been held and Moise has not succeeded as President.

Haitian news portal AyiboPost on Monday published what it said was the complete order from the judge investigating the assassination.

In it, the magistrate ordered the referral of Moise's widow, Martine Moise, and 50 other people to the criminal court "to be judged on the facts of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, terrorism, assassination and complicity in the assassination".

In this file photo, Haitian President Jovenel Moise speaks at the swearing-in ceremony for Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant at the National Palace in Port-au-Prince on February 24, 2017. (Photo: Pierre Michel Jean/ AFP)

The document goes on to say that "indications of the involvement of the ex-first lady... are sufficient" to indict, adding that her statements were "so tainted by contradictions that they leave something to be desired and discredit her."

Martine Moise was also wounded in the deadly attack.

Former interim prime minister Claude Joseph and ex-director general of the national police Leon Charles were also found to have "sufficient indications" of involvement in the killing, the document says.

The 122-page report did not "clearly identify the masterminds of the assassination, nor their financiers," AyiboPost said.

Earlier this month Joseph Vincent, a Haitian-American accused of participating in the assassination, was sentenced to life in prison in a US court.

The United States launched prosecutions against 11 people over their alleged involvement in Moise's killing, finding the cases fell within its jurisdiction because part of the assassination plot was hatched in south Florida.

So far, it has sentenced four people to life in prison, including Vincent.

Haiti is in the midst of a severe political, humanitarian and security crisis, with gangs running rampant in large swaths of the country, and homicides more than doubling last year to nearly 4,800, according to a UN report released this month.

More than 1,100 people were killed, injured or kidnapped in January alone, making it the most violent month in the country in two years of conflict, the UN has said.

Story by AFP