Haitian judge Walther Voltaire accused Martine Moïse, widow of the assassinated president Jovenel Moïse, of complicity and criminal association to commit the assassination that occurred in 2021. Along with the widow, 50 other people were charged, including the former Prime Minister of Haiti Claude Joseph and the former chief of the National Police Léon Charles, who now serves as the Caribbean country’s permanent representative to the Organization of American States (OAS).
Joseph faces the same charges as Martine Moïse, while Charles faces accusations of murder, attempted murder, illegal possession and carrying of weapons, conspiracy against the internal security of the State and conspiracy to commit a crime.
Among those charged are 17 Colombians, as well as Haitian-Americans Christian Emmanuel Sanon, James Solage and Joseph Vincent; Likewise, Moïse’s coordinator and head of security, Jean Laguel Civil and Dimitri Hérard, respectively; the former agent of the Anti-Corruption Unit Joseph Félix Badio and the former ministers Ardouin Zéphirin and Louis Edner Gonzague Day.
“There are consistent charges and sufficient evidence to justify their responsibility in the acts of which they are accused,” according to the magistrate’s decision, which refers them “to the Criminal Court, meeting without the assistance of a jury, to be tried for the acts of association to commit a crime.” , armed robbery, terrorism, murder and complicity in murder, crimes committed to the detriment of Jovenel Moïse.”
As for Moïse’s widow, her statements about the assassination of the president “are so riddled with contradictions that they leave much to be desired and discredit her,” according to the order issued by the investigating judge.
According to the accused Joseph Félix Badio, various interest groups were forming around President Jovenel Moïse in the National Palace and they all wanted to get rid of him to seize power and satisfy their crass appetites. Among them were Marine Mo?se and Claude Joseph.
The document reveals that Moïse’s now widow went to the National Palace on the night of Monday, July 5, 2021, two days before the president’s assassination, and remained there for almost five hours, until early morning locally on Tuesday. “In short, the consistent accusations and indications of the former first lady’s involvement in the murder are sufficient,” the text notes.
Magistrate Voltaire sent his 122-page order to a prosecutor who will now inform the people linked to the accusation. The next step will be for the president of the Haitian Supreme Court to organize a trial.
Five people have already pleaded guilty in the case in the United States, where the plot was planned and financed. Moïse was tortured and murdered on July 7, 2021 at his residence in Port-au-Prince by a group of mercenaries, mostly Colombians. In the attack his wife was injured, so that same day she was transferred to Miami (United States).