On Monday, September 28, 2026, the trial of Haitian-American pastor Christian Emmanuel Sanon (67 years old) opened before the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Florida, presided over by Judge Jacqueline Becerra.

He is accused by the U.S. Attorney's Office of orchestrating the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 in order to seize power.

Christian Emmanuel Sanon pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, including conspiracy to assassinate or kidnap Moïse. He faces life imprisonment if convicted.

Sanon had been detained since his arrest by Haitian authorities a few days after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. During a search of his home, police discovered crates of ammunition, 19 passports, and other items. He was deported (transferred) to the United States in early 2023.

Christian Emmanuel Sanon is represented by attorney Zeljka Bozanic, assisted by attorney Humberto Dominguez.

Born in southern Haiti, Sanon studied medicine in the Dominican Republic before settling in Florida, according to local media. He then appeared in online videos presenting himself as a potential leader capable of bringing about change in Haiti.

The prosecution maintains that Sanon helped recruit participants in the conspiracy and hoped to become president of Haiti after Moïse's removal from power.

At the opening of his trial in Miami, Pastor Sanon's defense team focused on a clear strategy : to separate their client's legitimate political ambitions from the criminal act.

His lawyer, Zeljka Bozanic, relies on several key arguments to counter the conspiracy charges. She asserts that Christian Emmanuel Sanon did indeed aspire to become President of Haiti and to bring about political change. However, she insists that he envisioned a peaceful and legitimate transition.

According to his lawyers, while he did hire the private security firm CTU to provide protection and support his infrastructure projects in Haiti, he had absolutely no knowledge or intention of participating in a plot to kidnap or assassinate Jovenel Moïse.

The defense claims that Sanon was manipulated and sidelined by the other conspirators and the security company. The defense also points out that the prosecution's own reports show that the conspirators ultimately sidelined Sanon in June 2021 (believing he lacked the constitutional qualifications and popular support) and turned to another figure (former judge Wendelle Coq Thélot).

In summary, Zeljka Bozanic is seeking to demonstrate that Christian Emmanuel Sanon is not the mastermind of the operation, but an idealistic politician who was outmaneuvered and sidelined by an armed group with far darker criminal intentions.

Once the jury is selected, the opening statements for the prosecution and defense will begin. The trial will then proceed daily over several weeks. Several of the co-defendants already convicted or who have pleaded guilty in the United States may take the stand to testify against Sanon in the hope of obtaining reduced sentences. The jury's verdict is expected after the substantive hearings, by the end of fall 2026. If Sanon is found guilty of conspiracy to kidnap or assassinate a foreign leader, he faces life imprisonment.

SL/ HaitiLibre