A Haitian Chilean citizen could face life imprisonment for his alleged involvement in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
Rodolphe Jaar, 49, is the second foreigner to be charged in the United States for his involvement in the assassination plot of the 53-year-old Haitian president. If found guilty, Jaar could serve a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) said Jaar, who is considered a key suspect in the case, is charged with conspiring to commit murder or kidnapping outside the United States and providing material support resulting in death, knowing or intending that such material support would be used to prepare for or carry out the conspiracy to kill or kidnap.
According to the DOJ, Jaar is accused of providing the former Colombian soldiers with the weapons used to facilitate the assassination of the Haitian president.
A complaint unsealed on January 19 outlined that the defendant and others, including a group of around 20 Colombian citizens and several Haitian-American citizens, took part in a plot to kidnap or kill Moïse.
“In particular, as alleged, Jaar was present when another conspirator, described as “Co-conspirator #1, secured the signature of a former Haitian judge on a written request for assistance to further the arrest and imprisonment of President Moïse,” according to the complaint.
According to a DOJ statement, it is alleged that after the assassination, Jaar communicated with Co-conspirator #1 and others to assist the Colombians and Co-conspirator # 1 during their time of hiding from the Haitian authorities.
He was arrested in the Dominican Republic but agreed to travel to the United States, where he is in custody. Jaar made his initial court appearance on January 20 in a Miami court before US Magistrate Judge Lauren Louisin of the Southern District of Florida.
Rodolphe Jaar was assigned a public defender by Louisin and received a detention hearing for January 26, which could allow his attorney to request that he be freed on bond. He also has an arraignment hearing on February 3 where he can plead guilty or innocent.
Over 40 people have been arrested so far for their connection to the case. This includes the 18 former Colombian soldiers, most of whom the Colombian government says were duped.
