Assassination of the Haitian president: who is John Joel Joseph, the ex-senator arrested in Jamaica?

Alleged members of the commando who assassinated President Jovenel Moïse are presented to the press, July 8, 2021. ASSOCIATED PRESS - Odelyn Joseph

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John Joel Joseph is wanted by Haitian police for his alleged role in the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

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A few days after

, the Haitian authorities had launched a wanted notice against John Joel Joseph, described as a "

" individual.

According to a report by the National Police of Haiti, the ex-senator would have participated in the planning of the murder of the Haitian president.

One of the meetings prior to the crime, in which several alleged perpetrators of the attack participated, was held at the home of John Joël Joseph.

The ex-senator would also have been in telephone contact with members of the commando before and after the assassination.

According to information from the

newspaper , John Joel Joseph hid in Haiti for months after the crime and arrived in Jamaica by sea in December.

along with his wife and their two children.

He is currently in a Jamaican detention center.

Jamaica and Haiti do not have an extradition agreement.

It remains to be seen whether John Joel Joseph will be returned to Haiti or extradited to the United States where

into the assassination of the Haitian president is also underway.

More than 40 people, including fifteen Colombians and Americans of Haitian origin, have already been arrested as part of the investigation.

But many questions remain as to the motivations behind this assassination.

The Haitian investigation did not make it possible to determine the identity of the sponsors.

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• Haiti

• Jovenel Moses

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• Justice