Monday under high protection, former Radical Opposition Deputy Arnel Bélizaire, accused inter alia of conspiracy against the internal security of the State, illegal possession of firearms and criminal conspiracy, following his arrest on 1 December https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-29399-haiti-flash-belizaire-arrested-in-possession-of-an-arsenal-of-war.html was brought to the Public Prosecutor's Office of Port-au -Prince with 7 of his accomplices to be auditioned.

Bélizaire, accompanied by his lawyers, denied the accusations of "conspiracy against State security" concerning the remarks he made on a radio. His lawyers used as a defense a misinterpretation of the accusation of "the Haitian speaking of their client" stating that when he spoke of "blow up buildings" it meant "save, avoid" and not destroy the-said buildings... arguments that does not seem to have convinced the prosecution.

At the end of the interrogations of the 8 defendants, two of them Clermont Bélizaire and Joanis Roberson Harry were released and a committal order was issued against Arnel Bélizaire and 5 other defendants who took the way to the penitentiary.

Arnel Bélizaire says that as a political leader, his incarceration is linked to his fight against the regime of President Moïse and called once again for the overthrow of the Head of State.

His lawyers and other defendants allege that the file is empty and tainted with irregularities and that they will do their utmost to have the case dismissed and their clients released quickly.

The files should be sent to the investigating office in the coming days, and the judge appointed, after instructions, will have to decide in his conclusions whether or not it is necessary to prosecute Arnel Bélizaire and his accomplices for conspiracy against the safety of the State, illegal possession of firearms and criminal conspiracy. The order of non-lieu or referral to the court, must be published within 3 months by law, a period rarely respected...

To be continued...

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-29436-haiti-justice-arnel-belizaire-rejects-the-charges-against-him.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-29416-icihaiti-gonaives-mandates-to-bring-against-a-score-of-activists-of-the-opposition.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-29399-haiti-flash-belizaire-arrested-in-possession-of-an-arsenal-of-war.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-29391-haiti-flash-former-deputy-belizaire-escapes-the-police.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-29383-haiti-flash-the-former-deputy-arnel-belizaire-accused-of-conspiracy-against-the-security-of-the-state.html

SL/ HaitiLibre