Relatives of late Haitian President Jovenel Moïse’s wife, who was charged in his murder, were informed by her lawyer that she feels the charges against her are politically driven.
Paul Turner, a lawyer in the US, said he was taken aback by this week’s media revelations exposing the indictments against Martine Moïse and several other suspects, including the former prime minister and the head of the police department.
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Noting that Haitian government representatives failed to get in touch with his client as necessary and that he and other lawyers are contacting them for clarification, he also questioned if the judge’s report was accurate or had been finalized.
“If there is a genuine reason to talk to Martine … we can make her available if the circumstances were fair and just,” Turner mentioned that she could communicate online. “Or we can meet in the US where we know there’s not going to be a safety concern.”
Turner stated that he thinks there are still people out there who might have been involved in the July 2021 assassination at Jovenel Moïse’s private property, and that Martine Moïse, who was hurt in the incident, and her kids are still afraid for their life.
“She categorically denies any involvement,” he stated.
Turner also said that the indictment was ordered by Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s administration.
“What do they do? They indict their perceived opposition. There is definitely a perception that she would or may run in the future,” Turner stated. “Nothing else makes sense.”
He said he has never talked about politics with his client and does not know if she plans to run for office.
Messages seeking reaction from the prime minister’s office remained unanswered.
As the nation struggles with an upsurge in gang violence and waits for the UN-backed Kenyan police force to be deployed—which has been delayed by court processes in the East African nation—Haiti has repeatedly postponed conducting a general election.
The former National Palace secretary general, Lyonel Valbrun, told investigators that he was under “strong pressure” from Martine Moïse to give then-prime minister Claude Joseph access to the president’s office so that he could “organize a council of ministers.” This information was included in the 122-page report released by a Haitian judge looking into the killing.
In addition, Valbrun said that Martine Moïse visited the National Palace two days before her husband’s murder and spent over five hours, from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., clearing out “a bunch of things.”
According to the report, Valbrun stated that Martine Moïse contacted him two days after the president’s death to inform him that, “Jovenel didn’t do anything for us. You have to open the office. The president told Ti Klod to create a council of ministers; he will hold elections in three months so I can become president, now we will have power.”
Ti Klod is thought to be a reference to Claude Joseph, who is included in the lawsuit as an additional defendant. He has denied the charges and charged that the prime minister of Haiti is “weaponizing” the legal system.
Joseph and Martine Moïse face accusations of involvement and criminal association, whilst other suspects, including the former head of Haiti’s National Police, are charged with more serious offenses, such as murder.
In a letter to a local judicial official that Emmanuel Jeanty, Martine Moïse’s Haiti-based attorney, published with the AP on Wednesday, stated that if the judge’s report is accurate, due process was not followed.
Turner also mentioned that Martine Moïse is anticipated to provide testimony at a future US trial, in which 11 people have been charged by federal authorities. Three of them at the very least contain sentences.
Twenty former Colombian soldiers and high-ranking Haitian police officials are among the more than 40 additional accused who are still being held in Haitian prisons for trial.
