Eighteen suspects accused of involvement in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse have been extradited from Haiti to the United States to face federal charges in Florida.

📻 Breaking It Down

The suspects were flown from Port-au-Prince to South Florida aboard a US military aircraft, marking a major development in the long-running investigation into the killing of Moïse. US authorities said the defendants will face trial in federal court in Florida.

US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason Reding Quiñones said the transfer marked a new phase in efforts to establish accountability for the assassination.

He said US authorities would continue following evidence relating to people alleged to have financed, facilitated, supported or participated in the plot.

📌 What You Need to Know

The 18 suspects include 17 former Colombian soldiers and Joseph Badio, a former employee of Haiti’s Ministry of Justice, according to the Associated Press.

US authorities have indicted 30 people in connection with the assassination, with the latest operation involving the transfer of the 18 defendants from Haiti and arrests of other suspects in the US and abroad.

The suspects had remained in Haiti for years as judicial proceedings faced repeated delays.

The Haitian justice system has struggled to advance the case amid widespread gang violence, threats against judges and the deterioration of judicial institutions.

Moïse, 53, was assassinated on July 7, 2021, when armed attackers stormed his private residence in the hills above Port-au-Prince.

His wife, Martine Moïse, was also seriously wounded during the attack.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya