The Colombian police chief cited a preliminary investigation into the murder on Friday, saying that former Haitian Justice Department official Joseph Felix Badio may have ordered the assassination of Haitian President Giovinel Mois.
On July 7, an assassin armed with an assault rifle attacked Moise’s private residence on the hill above Port-au-Prince and was shot dead.
General Jorge Vargas said in an audio message sent by the police to the news media that the Haitian and Colombian authorities, together with Interpol, conducted an investigation into the murder of Mois and found that Badio appeared to have ordered three days before the attack. Assassinate.
Badio could not be reached immediately for comment. His whereabouts are unknown.
The police arrested Haiti, suspected of being linked to the mastermind behind the president’s assassination
According to Vargas, the investigation found that Badio ordered former Colombian soldier Duberni Cappado and German Rivera — who were initially contacted for security services — to kill Mois.
“A few days ago, obviously three days ago, Joseph Felix Badio, a former official of the (Haiti) Ministry of Justice, told Cappadore and Rivera that they must assassinate the President. The anti-corruption division of the General Intelligence Agency works. Haiti,” Vargas said.
Vargas did not provide evidence or provide more details about the source of the information.
Authorities said that after Moise was murdered, Haitian police killed Cappado and Rivera was captured.
On Sunday, Haitian authorities detained 63-year-old Christian Emmanuel Sanon, who is widely described as a doctor in Florida, and accused him of being one of the masterminds behind the murder.
After the Haitian National Police Chief Leon Charles determined that he was a key participant in the conspiracy, the police were looking for the former Haitian Senator John Joel Joseph, and the head of the Moise court security, Dimitri Hrad, was also arrested.
“This is a big conspiracy and many people are involved,” Haitian Acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph said at a press conference. “I am determined to advance the investigation.”
According to the Haitian authorities, the group of assassins included 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans. Eighteen Colombians have been captured, five are at large, and three have been killed.
Colombian President Ivan Duque said on Thursday that many Colombians accused of participating in the assassination traveled to the country as bodyguards. Relatives and colleagues of some detained Colombians confirmed this.
American citizen, former Colombian soldier detained among suspects killed by President of Haiti
“We are assisting in all support tasks for interviews with captured Colombians,” Vargas said.
Colombian Vice President and Foreign Minister Marta Lucia Ramirez told reporters on Friday that once the Caribbean countries’ approval is obtained, Colombia will immediately send a consular delegation to Haiti to meet with detained Colombians to ensure their safety. The rights are respected and move on with the repatriation of the remains of the deceased Colombian.
Ramirez added that the ministry maintains daily contact with the families of the deceased and detainees.
She reiterated the Colombian government’s statement that few veterans knew about the assassination plan, but said that those responsible should pay the price.
“No matter who they are and where they come from, (they should all face) all the serious consequences that this crime should bring,” she said.
(Reporting by Nelson Bocanegra, Julia Symmes Cobb and Oliver Griffin; additional reporting by Andre Paultre; editing by David Gregorio, Rosalba O’Brien and Muralikumar Anantharaman)
