A judge leading the investigation into the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 has issued a final report, implicating several key figures including his widow, Martine Moïse.
The ex-prime minister Claude Joseph, and former chief of Haiti’s National Police, Léon Charles, were also cited for “complicity and criminal association”.
According to the Associated Press, Léon Charles, currently serving as Haiti’s permanent representative to the Organization of American States, faces the most serious charges including murder, attempted murder, possession and illegal carrying of weapons, conspiracy against the internal security of the state, and criminal association.
Martine Moïse and Claude Joseph are accused of complicity and criminal association in the report.
The investigation has led to the imprisonment of over 40 suspects in Haiti awaiting trial, while another 11 suspects have been extradited to the U.S. and charged in connection with the slaying.
U.S. prosecutors have alleged that the assassination plot was coordinated between individuals in both Haiti and Florida, with the intention of kidnapping President Moïse, who was 53 at the time of his death.
The attack unfolded late on July 6 and concluded early on July 7, 2021.
While the extent of Martine Moïse’s involvement in the murder remains unclear, the revelations from the judge’s report have shocked many, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the assassination of the Haitian president.
Ms Moïse has, however, used social media in recent days to denounce “unjust arrests” and what she said was a “never-ending persecution”. It is not known where she currently lives.
Haitian media have lamented the fact that while the lengthy legal document charges 51 people, it fails to identify who ordered and financed President Moïse’s assassination.
