Why former senator is sentenced to life imprisonment with very strong reason

Former Haitian Senator John Joel Joseph was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday in a Miami court for his involvement in the assassination of Haiti’s last president, Jovenel Moise, in July 2021.

The nighttime killing of Moise in his Port-au-Prince residence led to a destabilizing power vacuum, exploited by violent armed gangs, contributing to a severe humanitarian crisis in the nation.

In October, Joseph became the third among the 11 defendants, including Colombian mercenaries responsible for the assassination and foreign businessmen suspected of financing the plot, to plead guilty.

According to his proffer statement, Joseph participated in meetings discussing the plans for the assassination, including on the night before the murder occurred. He confessed to providing support for the plot, such as arranging rental vehicles, connecting with gangs whose support was sought, and attempting to procure weapons.

The first two individuals who pleaded guilty in connection with the case, a Chilean-Haitian man and a retired Colombian army officer, were also sentenced to life. Mario Palacios, another former Colombian soldier who pleaded not guilty last year, is expected to change his plea this Friday.

Earlier in the month, a former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration informer, accused of helping make the mission appear as a U.S. government operation, also pleaded guilty and is set to be sentenced early next year.

IReporteronline