Haitian Prosecutor Pursues Charges Against Prime Minister in President’s Death

By Tadi Abedje Published: September 14, 2021

Haitian Prosecutor Pursues Charges Against Prime Minister in President’s Death

FILE PHOTO: Haiti's President Jovenel Moise speaks during a news conference to provide information about the measures concerning coronavirus, at the National Palace in Port-au-Prince, Haiti March 2, 2020. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares/File Photo

In Summary

Bed-Ford Claude is accusing Prime Minister Ariel Henry of communicating with one of the suspects in the case.

Port-au-Prince government commissioner Bed-Ford Claude is requesting the judge to charge Henry in connection with the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. The connection is over some phone calls the Prime Minister allegedly made with the suspect Joseph Badio, according to Al Jazeera.

On July 7, President Moïse was assassinated by gunmen in his residence in the capital of Port-au-Prince. Ever since the tragic event, the country has been put in a more precarious situation with political instability and the rise of gang violence. It also exacerbated fears from residents that there could be more violence and deaths.

Tragedy struck again in Haiti when a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the country in August. As a result, over 2,000 people lost their lives and close to 137,000 buildings were damaged.

Claude’s order came just after he met with Henry to discuss why he had had a conversation with one of the alleged suspects.

“The real culprits, the masterminds and sponsors of the odious assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, will be identified, brought to justice and punished for their crime,” Henry tweeted on Sept. 11.

He was urged to step down by Haiti’s Office of Citizen Protection and appear in the prosecutor’s office, according to Al Jazeera.

So far at least 40 people, which includes 18 former Colombian soldiers and three Haitian Americans, have been arrested. But this case is far from over as authorities are seeking more suspects. Badio and a former Haitian senator are people of interest, according to Al Jazeera.