Haiti president assassination: Ex-official among suspects

Colombia's chief of police, General Jorge Vargas, believes former Haitian official Joseph Felix Badio could have ordered the assassination of Haiti's President Jovenel Moise. Moise was shot dead in his private residence by a group of armed gunmen on July 7. The circumstances surrounding his killing remain murky and it has plunged the country deeper into turmoil.

What we know so far

Gunmen raided Moise's private residence in the pre-dawn attack. The president was shot multiple times and his wife was critically injured.

The gunmen managed to flee the scene but were tracked down by police and apprehended following a gunfight.

Haitian police managed to arrest most of the 26 Colombians who are suspected of being part of the attack.

The Colombian connection

According to Colombia's Defense Minister Diego Molano, the Colombians suspected of being involved in Moise's assassination are former members of the armed forces, who had gone to Haiti to work as bodyguards.

The Pentagon said a small number of those detained had received training with the US military while serving as members of Colombia's military.

The suspected masterminds

While Colombian authorities point the finger at former Haitian Justice Ministry official Jospeh Felix Badio, authorities in Haiti have detained a Florida-based doctor, and are accusing him of being one of the masterminds. Haiti's national police chief Leon Charles has identified former senator John Joel Joseph as being a key role player. Moise's head of security, Dimitri Herard, has also been taken into custody.

The president's assassination has caused huge political uncertainty, and the interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph has appealed to the US to help guard critical infrastructure and national keypoints. While the US has given no pledges when it comes to providing security, it has said it will assist with any investigation.

kb/sri (Reuters, AP)