Haiti - Justice : The Minister of Social Affairs, indicted for abuse of power and criminal conspiracy...
Wednesday September 27, 2023, Judge Jean Wikner Morin in charge of the case of embezzlement and corruption at the level of the Social Assistance Fund (CAS) issued his order in which he indicts Pierre Ricot Odney (INITÉ) the Minister of Affairs Social, accused of abuse of power and complicity with the former Director Edwine Tonton incarcerated since April 2023 for illicit enrichment and criminal association... but Me Morin did not order the arrest of the Minister who enjoys the immunity that he confers its function.
His order targets in addition to the two people already incarcerated since April 2023 (Edwin Tonton, the former Director of the CAS and Pierre Richard Vales, Chief Accountant) and the current Minister of Social Affairs. Judge Morin affirms that the Minister was aware of the embezzlement within the CAS but allowed Edwin Tonton and Richard Vales to act as they pleased, being guilty, among other things, of abuse of office and complicity...
Furthermore, the judge requests the arrest of Bernardin Dominique for complicity in embezzlement of public property, forgery and use of forgery, Yvrose Alcide for influence peddling, Frantz Iderice, the former Director of the CAS accused of the issuance of 14,000 checks in the name of phantom beneficiaries…
The case was referred to the criminal court without jury assistance to be heard. Former mayor of Arcahaie Rosemila Petit-Frère was spared.
