Judge postpones hearing for suspects in Haitian president’s slaying who were hoping to be released

PORT-AU-PRINCE (AP) — Nineteen suspects accused in the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse arrived Monday at a courthouse as defense attorneys hoped they would be released, but a judge postponed their hearing once again.

The 17 Colombians, all former soldiers, along with two Haitians, waited for their hearing to start in a private residence in an upscale area in Haiti’s capital because a surge in gang violence had forced officials to physically shut down the Court of Appeals in downtown Port-au-Prince. After several hours, a judge appeared and ordered the case postponed to later this month for unknown reasons.

“We hoped for the release of our clients,” said Nathalie Delisca, attorney for the 17 Colombians detained in the case. Delisca declined to say where the suspects she represents are currently being detained. Gangs raided Haiti’s two biggest prisons nearly a year ago and released thousands of inmates, including those in the National Penitentiary where suspects in the Moïse case were being held.