Thursday, February 25, following an armed mutiny, a spectacular and bloody escape, which left many dead, took place at the Croix-des-Bouquets Prison, considered as the most modern and secure penitentiary in the country...

The inmates took the Director of the prison under hostage and entered the armory where they seized all the weapons and those of the guards. At least 7 prisoners and the Director of the prison Inspector Hector Paul Joseph were killed (partial report).

Several dozen prisoners made it through the prison walls. Among them Arnel Joseph the gang leader of Village de Dieu, who had missed his previous escape in July 2020 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31361-haiti-flash-failed-escape-attempt-by-arnel-joseph.html He would be heavily armed...

The divisional inspector Gary Desrosiers, spokesperson for the National Police of Haiti (PNH) confirmed Thursday evening the escape of the gang leader declaring "The gang leader Arnel Joseph escaped from the civil prison of Croix- des-Bouquets". Regarding the escaped prisoners, he indicated that more than 40 escaped prisoners had already been taken back, however he was not able to specify the exact number of escaped prisoners, pending the detailed assessment of the Directorate of the National Penitentiary Administration.

According to the first available and corroborating information, the armed mutiny would have started in the prison, while outside the penitentiary was another unidentified armed group which participated in support of this spectacular escape, which leaves presumed that it was a well-prepared coordinated operation. An investigation is open to discover the bottom of this escape.

Rockefeller Vincent, the Minister of Justice and Public Security at the end of the day declared "The PNH has regained control of the Croix-des-Bouquets prison, following the mutiny which led to the escape of some prisoners, including very dangerous gangsters. Some have already been taken up. The population is called upon to cooperate with the PNH so that everyone is taken back. I deplore the assassination of Inspector Paul Joseph Victor, the head of the Croix-des-Bouquets prison. The DG of the PNH was instructed to take back all the escapees; to determine the circumstances of the escape and to strengthen surveillance in all detention centers."

Recall that in June 2018, 3 prisoners escaped from this prison https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24609-haiti-flash-escape-from-the-croix-des-bouquets-prison.html and that on August 10, 2014 a spectacular escape allowed 329 prisoners to escape, including Clifford Brandt https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-11795-haiti-security-329-escapees-the-government-explains-video.html

To be continued...

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31361-haiti-flash-failed-escape-attempt-by-arnel-joseph.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-24609-haiti-flash-escape-from-the-croix-des-bouquets-prison.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-11795-haiti-security-329-escapees-the-government-explains-video.html

SL/ HaitiLibre