Haitian Interim Prime Minister, Claude Joseph on Monday declared his intention to resign.
Gatekeepers News reports that Joseph’s leadership has been questioned since the July assassination of President Jovenel Moise.
Joseph who had announced that he is in charge of the country immediately after the country’s President was assassinated, said he is ready to resign.
His announcement comes after Colombian-based private TV station, Caracol news alleged that he was the mastermind of the July 7 assassination.
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.
Although, Haiti’s Head of National Police, Léon Charles immediately refuted the claims and warned “of all propaganda creating a diversion.”
“I’m issuing a formal denial to these allegations,” Charles had said during a press conference, calling them “a lie.”
Gatekeepers News had reported that 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.
Henry has recently been recognised as the “designated prime minister” by the international community. He is expected to take over.
Although Joseph has, to date, refused to recognise Henry as the designated Prime Minister, insisting that Henry had not been sworn in at the time of Moise’s killing.
Joseph disclosed that he and Henry had met privately over the past week, adding that he agreed to step down on Sunday “for the good of the nation”.
“Everyone who knows me knows that I am not interested in this battle, or in any kind of power grab,” Joseph said.
“The president was a friend to me. I am just interested in seeing justice for him,” he added.
It is not immediately clear when Joseph would step down, but Foreign Ministry senior official Israel Jacky Cantave hinted that Joseph could hand power to Henry possibly as soon as Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Moise’s funeral has been set for July 23 in the northern city of Cap-Haitien.
