On the morning of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Mose, his wife Martine Mose was also seriously injured. The couple was resting in their marital bed when an armed commando broke into the presidential home to carry out the assassination attempt that plunged the Caribbean country into instability and a deep political crisis. Martine Mose has gone from being a victim to becoming a participant in the investigation to clarify the causes of the president's murder.
The judge in charge of the case, Walther Voltaire, indicted this Monday against 51 people, including the president's widow, the then Prime Minister Claude Joseph, and the former head of the National Police, Léon Charles. The new twist in the conspiracy that has left Haitians in suspense was justified by the judge with “sufficient evidence” and “consistent accusations” that prove the defendant’s responsibility for the crime. Martine Mose is accused of complicity and criminal organization. Voltaire has called for the defendant to be prosecuted “for criminal association, armed robbery, terrorism, murder and complicity in murder, crimes detrimental to Jovenel Mose.”
The president's widow left Haiti and fled to Florida, USA. In the few public statements he has made, he has reiterated that he is innocent and a victim of the attack in the early hours of July 7, 2021, when a heavily armed commando of former Colombian soldiers broke into the Presidential House in Port- au-Prince, and he shot the couple. According to the woman's statement to Haitian authorities, that morning the presidential couple heard loud shots from automatic weapons that lasted 30 to 45 minutes before the attackers entered the room where they shot at them, assassinated the president and the attackers left them for dead According to her story, Martine Mose was left face down in the bedroom and one of the attackers touched her toes to make sure she had been murdered.
Mosese's story is part of the 122-page indictment written by Judge Voltaire and published by Haitian media outlet AyiboPost. The judge noted that the widow's statements “are so full of contradictions that they leave much to be desired and discredit her.” According to the indictment, one of the defendants stated during interrogation that Martine Mose had conspired with the former prime minister to overthrow the president and take office. According to the document, “the allegations against the former first lady are sufficient” to indict her. “There is serious and consistent evidence that could lead to charges of murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, detention and transportation of illegal weapons and ammunition of war, conspiracy against security, omission, complicity in murder and conspiracy against the defendant.” Accused of committing crimes,” the document states.
So far, 20 Colombian citizens, 19 Haitian police officers, including officials responsible for the late president's security, and four people in plain clothes have been arrested by Haitian authorities. Authorities also seized more than 60 firearms of various calibers and eight vehicles used in the attack. In June 2023, Haitian-Chilean businessman Rodolphe Jaar was sentenced to life in prison by a US federal judge. Prosecutors had accused Jaar of “conspiracy to commit murder or kidnapping outside the United States and providing material support resulting in death” and claimed that “he was responsible for providing weapons to Colombian accomplices to facilitate the execution of the operation.” Jaar was arrested in the Dominican Republic in January and agreed to voluntarily travel to the United States, where he pleaded guilty in March last year to supporting the commando that assassinated the Haitian president.
Haiti is experiencing a nightmare of violence that the authorities are unable to address. The capital is a hotbed of gangs and armed groups waging a relentless war for territorial control. Added to this is the misery that has suffocated millions of people, led to the internal displacement of hundreds of thousands of Haitians and led to a massive exodus of migrants leaving the country in search of better conditions. For its part, the government remains in crisis and constant instability and is unable to address the serious situation of the Caribbean country and guarantee the well-being and security of its people.
The situation is so chaotic that the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, is making a desperate call for help to “save” Haiti from the wave of violence it is suffering. “Let us prevent Haiti from being devastated by chaos and anarchy, let us not allow the crisis that exists there to spread to the entire region,” the president demanded after a speech to the United Nations Security Council in New York in mid-February . As Abinader called on UN members to increase aid to the Caribbean country, he also warned: “Our slogan from today is: Either we fight together to save Haiti, or we fight alone to save Haiti. Protect the Dominicans.” Republic!â€
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