President Jovenel Moses and his wife Martine Moïse•©️God Nalio Cherry
After several months of busy proceedings, the Court of Appeal of Port-au-Prince officially closed, on Wednesday 16 July 2025, the hearings relating to the investigation into the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. This is a crucial step in a context of strong tensions and many difficulties in the conduct of this case.
The assassination of Jovenel Moïse, on July 7, 2021, in his private residence, in Pilgrim 5, Petion-Ville commune, remains one of the most significant events in recent history of Haiti. His assassination plunged the country into a deep political and security crisis, exacerbated by a succession of information overlaps and resistance from several key actors.
Since the opening of the investigation, the Court of Appeal has conducted a series of hearings, but these have not been without obstacles. For about two years, some officials and political figures have refused to appear or cooperate fully before the courts, complicating the collection of evidence. Among them, Léon Charles, or even relatives of the Moïse family, opposed a categorical refusal or took hold behind certain unconvincing statements.
The last sessions, which lasted several weeks, were marked by the challenge of the order of the investigating judge Walter Wesser Voltaire, described as « bank » by several actors involved in the file. The Public Prosecutor's Office requested that the order be quashed by seeking the appointment of a new judge to continue the investigation.
In addition, the Public Prosecutor's Office has sought international legal assistance to interview key figures, including CTU officials, members of the Moses family, as well as political and military figures such as Ariel Henry. Approaches that underline the complexity of the investigation and the need for international cooperation.
With regard to the accused, all of them rejecting their responsibility for the assassination, they maintained their position at the last hearings. While in the United States, several suspects had agreed to plead guilty, in Haiti, the 22 people who were detained continue to deny any involvement, which maintains a climate of uncertainty.
The President of the Chamber of Hearing, Judge Emmanuel Lacroix, ordered the parties to file their supporting documents within the time limit prescribed by law. However, the conclusion of the hearings does not mean the end of the judicial process: after this stage, the decision of the Court of Appeal remains pending.
All that remains to be done is to wait for the verdict, in a context where the nation aspires to shed light on this assassination that has profoundly upset the country and its institutions.
WA
