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Port-au-Prince, Haiti — The Haitian Court of Appeals postponed a key hearing on Monday involving suspects in the assassination of former President Jovenel Moïse, after a judge withdrew from the case for personal reasons. The highly anticipated session was set to review an appeal against the earlier decision to send over 50 defendants to a criminal court.
Judge Denise Moïse Papillon, part of the judicial panel, recused herself, forcing the indefinite postponement of the hearing. The delay further extends a complex and slow-moving judicial process that has faced repeated setbacks since the assassination nearly three years ago.
Jovenel Moïse was tortured and assassinated in his private residence in Port-au-Prince on July 7, 2021, by a group of mercenaries, the majority of whom were Colombian nationals. During the attack, Moïse’s wife, Martine Moïse, was gravely injured and later transported to Miami, United States, for urgent medical care.
The accused include Haitian-American nationals, former Haitian officials, and approximately 20 ex-Colombian soldiers, all implicated in what authorities described as a conspiracy to kidnap or assassinate the president. Among those charged are prominent figures such as Joseph Vincent, Jaar Rivera, and others with alleged ties to both Haitian and international networks.
The assassination sent shockwaves across the region and drew global scrutiny. Recently, a former Haitian senator was sentenced to life imprisonment in a U.S. federal court for his role in orchestrating the plot. The sentencing underscores the international scope of the investigation, with trials and proceedings occurring beyond Haiti’s borders.
Despite these developments, legal proceedings within Haiti have faced numerous hurdles, including delays, judicial recusals, and questions over security and transparency. Monday’s postponement marks another chapter in the prolonged effort to deliver justice for a crime that has further destabilized Haiti amid an ongoing political and security crisis.
The delay is likely to frustrate families of the victims and observers, as the case remains unresolved nearly three years after Moïse’s death. The assassination exacerbated Haiti’s deep political instability, fueling widespread violence and insecurity.
While hearings are expected to resume at a later date, no new timeline has been announced. For now, the families of Jovenel Moïse and the Haitian public continue to wait for justice in one of Haiti’s most consequential and far-reaching cases.
