Haitian Police Reject Report Linking Moise Killing To Interim PM

Haitian Police have dismissed a report that the county’s interim Prime Minister is behind the assassination of the Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, saying it’s “a lie.”

Gatekeepers News reports that a Colombian-based private TV station, Caracol news alleged that Prime Minister Claude Joseph was the mastermind of the July 7 killing.

The Colombian TV station said its report was based on information from Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sources and Haitian authorities as well as telephone calls, pictures and testimony from those accused of participating in the plot.

General Jorge Luis Vargas, Colombia’s Head of National Police Force, on Thursday, told reporters that he has no information suggesting Joseph had any role in the plot.

Also, Haiti’s Head of National Police, Léon Charles refuted the claims and warned “of all propaganda creating a diversion.”

“I’m issuing a formal denial to these allegations,” Charles said during a press conference,  calling them “a lie.”

He noted that the head of Moïse’s security detail, Dimitri Hérard, had been removed from his post and placed in isolated detention after officials interrogated him.

Charles said authorities will meet with him a third time before deciding the next steps.

Hérard has not officially been named as a suspect in the investigation, but many Haitians have questioned how attackers could have invaded the president’s house and killed him with no injuries among those assigned to protect him.

Gatekeepers News reports that the interim Prime Minister Joseph was about to be replaced when the assassination occurred. Moïse had named him to the post in April following the resignation of Joseph Jouthe, who held the post for just over a year.

Two days before the assassination, Moïse declared that he had chosen a new Prime Minister, neurosurgeon Ariel Henry. But the new prime minister has not been sworn into office as of July 7 when Moise was assassinated.

The interim Prime Minister announced that he is in charge of the country immediately after the country’s President was assassinated, a claim that has been recognised by the United States and others.

Police have arrested 23 people, including 18 former Colombian soldiers, three Haitians and two Haitian-Americans, who are linked to the assassination of Moise.

Gatekeepers News gathered that the Police have issued seven arrest warrants, searched 10 buildings, conducted 27 interrogations and placed four high-ranking police officers in isolation, he said.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden said Thursday that he will send U.S. Marines to bolster security at its embassy in Haiti but that deploying American troops to stabilize the country is “not on the agenda.”

Haiti’s interim government had last week urged the U.S and the United Nations to deploy troops to protect key infrastructure following the assassination.