Skip to main content

Haiti arrests top security official in slain president probe

Share
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -

Authorities in Haiti arrested a top official who served as general security co-ordinator when President Jovenel Moise was assassinated, his attorney told The Associated Press on Monday.

Jean Laguel Civil joins more than two dozen suspects arrested by Haiti National Police as the investigation continues into the July 7 attack at Moise's private home.

Civil's attorney, Reynold Georges, called his client's arrest politically motivated. It wasn't immediately clear if Civil had been charged with anything.

The arrest comes as more than 1,000 demonstrators gathered around one of Haiti's most notorious gang leaders to commemorate Moise. The crowd was mostly dressed in white as they cheered on Jimmy Cherizier, a former police officer who now leads "G9," a federation of nine gangs that officials have blamed for a spike in violence and kidnappings in recent months.

"Everyone needs to wait on my order before we respond to the killing of Jovenel Moise," said Cherizier, who goes by the name of "Barbecue" and whom police say is behind several recent massacres that targeted civilians living in communities run by other gangs.

He was wearing a white suit and black tie as he spoke to the crowd at the seaside slum of La Saline in the capital of Port-au-Prince. A nearby truck played music as Cherizier knelt down before a large portrait of Moise and began to light candles.

"No justice, no peace!" he said.

Earlier, the crowd sang as they made a circle around a bonfire and threw salt into it as part of a ceremony to honor Moise. Many had their faces covered so as not to be identified.

Moise was shot several times during a July 7 attack in which his wife was seriously injured. At least 26 people have been arrested, including 18 former Colombian soldiers. Police are still looking for various suspects, including a former rebel leader and an ex-Haitian senator. On Monday, they identified another suspect: Haiti Superior Court Judge Windelle Coq Thelot.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BREAKING

BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants

Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.

Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence

During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.

Local Spotlight