New judge also resigns from investigating Haitian president's murder

Saturday, February 12th 2022 - 09:30 UTC

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“The new judge needs to seek the extradition to Haiti of all suspects in prison abroad, particularly in the United States,” Lafontant said

Haitian Judge Chavannes Étienne, who had been appointed to investigate the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, has resigned from the case Friday, thus becoming the fourth magistrate to make the same decision.

Judiciary acting spokesman Me Jacques Lafontant confirmed the news and said the judge's decision was due to personal problems. “It is confirmed. The magistrate withdrew from the case. We are going to move towards the election of another judge,” Lafontant said.

He added that “in order to adequately investigate the case, the judge must demand the extradition to Haiti of all suspects in prison abroad, particularly in the United States.”

Most of those involved are detained in Haiti, while others are deprived of liberty in the United States (USA), Turkey and Jamaica.
However, local media reported Judge Étienne's sidestep was due to lack of means, resources and a political commitment to carry out the investigation.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ariel Henry says he wanted to be replaced by a two-year transitional government. “We have to go to elections,” Henry told the Miami Herald Friday in an exclusive interview. “It’s the only option that we have, and it’s the process to go to elections that we have to negotiate.”

Henry also said he wants to go to election “as soon as possible.” The international community has called on Henry, 72, to double down his efforts to reach a solution in a country without an elected president, a functioning parliament or a proven judiciary.