The widow of Jovenel Moïse is among a group of people indicted this week for the former Haitian president’s July 2021 murder. Martine Moïse is named in a 122-page report released by Judge Walther Wesser Voltaire on Feb. 19, charging 51 people, including ex-prime minister Claude Joseph and the former National Police chief, Léon Charles.
While Joseph and Moïse were charged with complicity and criminal association, former chief Charles is facing charges of murder, attempted murder, possession and illegal carrying of weapons, conspiracy against the internal security of the state and criminal association.
The case against Martine centers around a statement from Lyonel Valbrun, who was secretary general at Haiti’s National Palace – the president’s official residence. According to Valbrun, she came to the National Palace two days before her husband’s assassination and spent hours “removing a bunch of things” as if she knew something was about to happen.
The judge also poked holes in Martine’s testimony, including her claim she hid under their bed to protect herself from the attackers who entered their home on the night of July 7. Investigators on the scene reported that “not even a giant rat...whose size measures between 35 and 45 centimeters” could fit under the bed.
Judge Voltaire said the former first lady’s statements were “so tainted with contradictions that they leave something to be desired and discredit her.”
The report also accuses the police officer in charge of presidential security on the might of Moïse’s murder of collecting $80,000 to bribe officers “to remain inactive” while the attack in his residence took place.
But former Prime Minister Joseph is clapping back, accusing Haiti’s current Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, of using Moïse’s death to his advantage.
“Henry is weaponizing the Haitian justice system, prosecuting political opponents like me. It’s a classic coup d’état,” he told The Associated Press. “They failed to kill me and Martine Moïse on July 7th 2021, now they are using the Haitian justice system to advance their Machiavellian agenda.”
The indictments come at a time when the country is already in a state of turmoil dealing, with violent protests demanding the current prime minister’s resignation based on a December 2022 agreement that he would hold elections on Feb. 7, 2024.