Haitian Judge Investigating Moise Murder Accused of Corruption

On Tuesday, the National Network in Defense of Human Rights of Haiti (RNDDH) requested to open a corruption investigation against Judge Gary Orelien, who is investigating the murder of Jovenel Moise.

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The RNDDH investigators hold that Orelien is using the Moise investigation "to enrich himself," outlet Vant Bef Info reported, adding that this judge would have received US$20,000 to lift a ban on leaving the country issued against a person who was mentioned in the investigations.

Orelien would also have requested US$50,000 from other people against whom Haitian authorities issued arrest warrants.

"And it doesn't stop there! To audition former Acting Director of the National Police, Leon Charles, the judge collected some US$20,000 in bribes," Van Bef Info commented, adding that the RNDDH denounced that the judge also received US$25,000 to release other detained police officers.

The Haitian activists' complaint occurred shortly after Bernard Saint-Vil, the judge of the Port-au-Prince First Instance Court, refused to extend the deadline for the investigation of the Moise murder requested by Orelien.

This judge, who took on the case after his predecessor resigned, has interviewed former lawmakers, police officers, and other suspects. So far, however, charges have not been fully formalized for over 30 people arrested for the crime.

On July 7, 2021, Jovenel Moise was assassinated at his home by hitmen in an operation involving at least 18 former Colombian soldiers and Haitian police officers. Some criminals who managed to escape were recently arrested in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.