Two and a half years after the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, 51 alleged accomplices have been charged in the Caribbean state, according to media reports – including the head of state's widow, Martine Moise. She was shot in the attack.
The accused also include then-Prime Minister Claude Joseph, then-police chief Leon Charles and Moïse's head of bodyguards. This emerges from the 122-page indictment of the responsible investigating judge, which the “AyiboPost” portal published yesterday and which was cited by other media outlets.
Hiding under the bed?
Moise was killed with twelve shots in his home on the night of July 7, 2021. According to the investigation, around 20 Colombian mercenaries committed the crime on behalf of several principals. According to the US justice system, the conspirators' original plan was to kidnap Moise and replace him as head of state.
Martine Moise is accused of conspiracy to commit murder. Among other things, she reportedly claimed that she hid under the bed during the attack. However, the gap under the bed was not high enough for this, the judge wrote. According to the New York Times, her lawyer denied the allegations before the indictment.
Florida verdicts
These are the first accusations in Haiti in the case. In the US state of Florida, where the attack was partially planned, eleven suspects have already been charged and four of them sentenced to life in prison. The background to the crime has not yet been fully clarified.
Shortly after the assassination, interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry took over the reins of government in Haiti. There have been no elections since then and the country has no president or parliament.