Renan Hedouville, the Protector of the Citizen, congratulates the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ) for the speed with which it launched an investigation on 23 July 2019, around the circumstances of the suspicious release of Pastor Onold Petit, accused of rape on a minor of 14 years following the decision of Judge Jean Baptiste Louis Jean having sat on the second day of criminal assizes without jury assistance in the Jurisdiction of the Court of First Instance of Jérémie, on July 16th. A staggering decision while all the evidence in this case was indisputable and was ignored by the judge in their entirety.

The Office of the Protection of the Citizen (OPC) was informed by the CSPJ on July 30 that Judge Louis Jean was the subject of a layoff measure. This disciplinary sanction notified to the Magistrate is motivated on the basis of the overwhelming facts revealed in the handling of the criminal file for which he was in charge.

More details on the case : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-28272-haiti-flash-amazing-release-of-a-haitian-pastor-accused-of-rape.html

Renan Hédouville also notes that an appeal in cassation would have been exercised by the Prosecutor of Jérémie against the decision of the Judge on whom weighs suspicions of corruption.

While welcoming such a decision of the CSPJ in accordance with its powers of control and discipline, Hédouville took the opportunity to appeal to all the constituted authorities of the region to adopt the necessary measures to ensure the safety of its Departmental Director of the Grand'Anse, Me Arol Nicolas who is the subject of serious death threats because of his work to accompany victims of rape.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-28272-haiti-flash-amazing-release-of-a-haitian-pastor-accused-of-rape.html

HL/ HaitiLibre