In a significant legal development, six men convicted in the assassination plot of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse have been ordered to pay his widow and elder son a total of $6.2 million in compensation. This restitution order was issued by a federal judge in Miami, highlighting the ongoing ramifications of the tragic event that occurred on July 7, 2021.
During the early morning attack on his home in the hills above Haiti’s capital, President Moïse was fatally shot twelve times. His widow, Martine Moïse, survived the attack and was flown to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment of her injuries.
According to Miami Herald, U.S. District Judge Jose Martinez awarded Martine Moïse $5,305,387 to cover her hospital bills, travel, and security expenses upon her return to Haiti ten days after the incident. This restitution amount was jointly recommended by federal prosecutors and defense attorneys after extensive negotiations.
Despite Martine Moïse’s claims that she was shot in the arm, her injuries have been a contentious topic in Haiti. Earlier this year, she was indicted alongside 50 others, including close associates of the late president, in connection with her husband’s assassination.
Haitian president’s son to be compensated
Joverlein Moïse, the elder son of the late president who now resides in Quebec, Canada, was awarded $865,396. The judge’s order does not clarify why the six convicted individuals are responsible for compensating Joverlein, who was not present at the scene. However, he filed a motion in a Port-au-Prince court to join the investigation, a move that under Haiti’s French-style legal system allows crime victims to seek damages from the perpetrators.
The effectiveness of this restitution order remains uncertain, as only one of the six convicted men is known to have any assets. This raises questions about how much Martine Moïse and her son will ultimately receive.
There’s also a tinge of irony in the federal judge’s order to compensate the widow: Although U.S. authorities view Martine Moïse as a “victim” in her husband’s fatal shooting, in Haiti she’s accused of playing a role in the assassination plot.
Martine Moïse’s attorney in South Florida, Paul Turner, has dismissed the allegations by a Haitian investigative judge as “nonsense” and “politically motivated,” asserting that she had no prior knowledge of the assassination plan.
Turner said he and Martine Moïse, who is currently living in South Florida, were grateful that a settlement was reached between the prosecutors and defense lawyers rather than her being forced to testify about the hospital bills and other expenses in a court hearing before the federal judge in Miami.
