Following the violent protests with burning tires barricades, after the arrest of the main teller of the Sogebank in Léogâne, the financial institution has found itself unable to continue to provide services to the population safely and had to close temporarily its doors (Grand-rue). Monday in a statement Sogebank provided further details on this unfortunate case where individuals suggest that this arrest is arbitrary and that the well-known teller in the region is innocent.

"Due to circumstances beyond its control, Sogebank is currently unable to provide banking services to its loyal customers of Léogâne, o which it extends its sincerest apologies.

Meanwhile the social unrest in the city of Léogâne find a solution, Sogebank ask its customers to temporarily use his other closest branches. Faced with these events, Sogebank wishes provide some clarifications and establish the truth about what really happened :

Following the disappearance of 2,144,000 gourdes (two million one hundred forty-four thousand gourdes) at the level of cash balance of its branch in Léogâne, the Sogebamk was first conducted an internal administrative investigation. It then addressed to the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) so that it performs a more thorough investigation to enable the identification of the perpetrators of this fraud.

After having questioned the employees, the DCPJ proceeded to the arrest of the main teller, and then transferred the case to the Prosecutor's Office of the Civil Court of Port-au-Prince.

After having heard the case, the prosecution has presented a warrant against the main teller, which has transferred to the National Penitentiary. His imprisonment has been decided by the competent judicial authorities, on the basis of the findings of the investigation of the DCPJ.

Sogebank regrets that individuals malicious or misinformed use that administrative and legal record to unfairly tarnish the image of the Sogebank.

Sogebank sincerely hope that by reading these informations, the population of Léogâne will be no longer be manipulated through this unfortunate case.

Done at the Directorate General of Sogebank. Port-au-Prince, on 1 December 2014."

HL/ S/ HaitiLibre