The Haitian prosecutor’s office ordered the arrest of a judge for his alleged link to the murder of Jovenel Moise

The prosecutor’s office in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, issued an arrest warrant on Monday against former judge Wendelle Coq Thélot, after being charged with murder and armed robbery in connection with the murder of the president, Jovenel Moses, who had previously dismissed him from the Court of Cassation.

The arrest warrant asks the Judicial Police “to take the necessary measures to look for, lead Yes to provide Wendelle Coq Thélot before the public prosecutor for acts of murder Yes robot armed robbery to the detriment of the President of the Republic ”, according to the Haitian information portal Rezonodwes.

Thélot was a judge at the Court of Cassation until last February, when the assassinated Haitian president issued a presidential decree decreeing his immediate eviction for allegedly participating in a previous plot to assassinate him.

Besides Thélot, judges also Yvickel D. Dabrésil and Joseph Mécene Jean Louis were expelled by presidential mandate, a decision which from the point of view of the United Nations raised many doubts about judicial independence and the separation of powers in Haiti.

About twenty political parties proposed Thélot as provisional president a week after murder of Moses on July 7 at his private residence, during an attack “very well organized”, According to authorities, in which the victim received up to twelve shots.

For the time being, Police arrested around 30 people, including 18 of Colombian nationality and five Americans of Haitian origin, who allegedly posed as DEA agents during the attack.. Authorities also ordered the search of Moise’s security guard, Jean Laguel Civil, for his alleged involvement.

July 23, Jovenel Moise’s funeral took place amid apparent gunfire and severe disturbance in the surrounding area which mobilized police, urging the US delegation and other foreign dignitaries to return to their vehicles for security reasons.

Witnesses they detected tear gas and heard detonations that sounded like gunshots outside the compound where the funeral took place.

The riots broke out minutes after a marching band and a church choir began the impeachment ceremony for Moses, two weeks after being murdered at his home by foreign mercenaries, in a crime that has not yet been elucidated.

The ceremony continued, with speeches from family members, but was interrupted by screams from outraged supporters who accused authorities of being responsible for Moise’s death.. The cries were sometimes stifled by church tunes.

Smoke entered the room. Dozens of police and security agents formed protective lines around the Haitian authorities in the stands.

US President Joe Biden’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, was present, leading her country’s delegation to Cap Haitien. The group heard the gunshots and fled to safety, preparing to return to Washington a little earlier than planned.

“The Haitian people deserve democracy, stability, security and prosperity, and we support them in this time of crisisThomas-Greenfield said on Twitter. “We urge everyone to speak out peacefully and refrain from violence”.

Haitian officials who arrived at the funeral were greeted with anger from protesters and a man called Police Chief Leon Charles, “a criminal”.

“Why do you have all this security Where were the police the day the president was assassinated?“, asked one of the demonstrators.

(With information from Europa Press)

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