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Haiti judge issues arrest warrants for 30+ senior officials – JURIST

Haitian Judge Al Duniel Dimanche issued arrest warrants for over 30 senior officials on Friday on corruption charges, according to a document leaked online. The list of officials includes former prime ministers and presidents.The judge is investigating a corruption case relating to the National Equipment Center (CNE) and the alleged misappropriation of funds and equipment. The CNE uses heavy machinery for a range of purposes, from building roads to clearing rubble after earthquakes. Among the 30 accused are former presidents Michel Martelly and Jocelerme Privert and former Prime Ministers Jean-Michel Lapin, Evans Paul, Claude Joseph and Jean-Henry Céant. In the leaked document, they are variously accused of corruption, complicity in corruption and influence peddling in breach of the Haitian Constitution.Jean-Michel Lapin, who served as acting prime minister of Haiti between 2019 and 2020, issued a statement on Saturday, in which he said that he had not received official notification of an arrest warrant. Nevertheless, Lapin stated that he wanted to inform the public that he denounced “this illegal, unfair and unconstitutional manoeuvre aimed at tarnishing my image as an honest and irreproachable servant of the state.”Former acting-Prime Minister Claude Joseph, who served between April and July 2021, tweeted on Monday about the leaked document. He said that he had met with the judge and that as “a statesman, I respected the constitutional prerogatives of the judiciary. My conscience remains serene in accordance with my convictions.”The situation in Haiti has worsened over the past few years and has seen escalating violence amidst near-constant political upheaval. In April, the US Department of State issued a press statement in which they outlined that “the United States and its partners will continue to use all tools at our disposal to support the Haitian people and promote accountability for corrupt actors who exploit the Haitian people and contribute to the ongoing instability in Haiti.” Various international human rights organizations have also raised deep concerns over the unstable situation in Haiti. The UN issued a report in November, expressing apprehension over escalating violence in the country and a mission—led by Kenya—to qualm the violence.