The facts: Senator-elect Guy Philippe (Grande Anse), former police commissioner and leader of an armed rebellion that led to the overthrow of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February 2004 was arrested https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19720-haiti-flash-arrest-of-senator-guy-philippe.html and extradited https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19721-haiti-flash-senator-guy-philippe-extradited-to-the-usa.html in the United States in controversial circumstances, before having had the time to take an oath and obtain parliamentary immunity.

He was sentenced on June 21, 2017 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21301-haiti-flash-9-years-in-prison-for-guy-philippe.html by US District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga of the Miami Court, to a 9-year prison sentence for money laundering drug trafficking.

On February 5, after having dismissed his lawyers, Me Zeljka Bozanic and Me Alan Ross, for incompetence, Guy Philippe submitted a petition (motion to vacate) to the South Florida Federal Court to quash his sentence. Following this request, which will involve significant costs and new lawyers, Guy Philippe in a letter bearing his handwritten signature authenticated by his representative in Haiti, Me Jean Bernard Raphael, addressed to Senator Joseph Lambert the Senate Speaker explains :

"[...] following the judgment rendered against me by the Florida Court of Justice on June 21, 2017 convicting me for money laundering, which accusation remains until this minute, unjustified by the American government.

To this end, I appealed against this famous decision; for the emotional dedication of the action, I need one hundred and twenty-five thousand US $ 125,000 US dollars for US attorney fees and other fees that the case demands.

Since I am currently financially unable to pay the above amount, I would urge the Senate of the Republic as a Corps, of which you have the honor to preside, to help me find the above amount for the advancement of my case."

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21301-haiti-flash-9-years-in-prison-for-guy-philippe.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20754-haiti-flash-guy-philippe-confesses-and-risks-20-years-imprisonment.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20736-haiti-flash-rebound-in-the-case-of-guy-philippe.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20457-haiti-flash-trial-of-guy-philippe-postponed.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20400-haiti-flash-minister-edouard-speaks-on-the-case-guy-philippe.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20155-haiti-flash-extradition-of-guy-philippe-is-illegal-according-to-mirlande-manigat.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20036-haiti-flash-trial-of-guy-philippe-in-the-united-states.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19799-haiti-politics-demonstration-of-support-to-guy-philippe-front-us-embassy.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19796-haiti-flash-guy-philippe-pleads-not-guilty.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19790-haiti-security-all-closed-schools-in-the-department-of-grande-anse.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19774-haiti-flash-guy-philippe-was-extradited-on-what-legal-basis.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19767-haiti-flash-americans-attacked-houses-burned-down.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19757-haiti-flash-violent-reprisals-of-guy-philippe-s-supporters.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19731-haiti-flash-guy-philippe-the-charges-are-known-appearing-on-january-13-2017.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19730-haiti-justice-guy-philippe-appeared-the-minister-of-justice-convened.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19721-haiti-flash-senator-guy-philippe-extradited-to-the-usa.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19720-haiti-flash-arrest-of-senator-guy-philippe.html

HL/ HaitiLibre