Haiti’s anti-corruption unit opens investigation into bribery allegations involving three CPT members 

PORT-AU-PRINCE — In a letter addressed to Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille on July 25, the chairman of the board of directors of the National Bank of Credit (BNC, its french acronym), Raoul Pascal Pierre-Louis, accused three members of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) of attempting to bribe him. The councilors named in the corruption scandal are Smith Augustin, Louis Gérald Gilles and Emmanuel Vertilaire. Pierre-Louis claimed that these individuals demanded 100 million gourdes, approximately $758,000 (USD), as a bribe for him to retain his position at the BNC. This prompted the government  Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC, per its French acronym) to open an investigation.

“This request, which I perceive as a form of corruption, not only threatens my professional integrity but also poses a serious security risk to my family and me,” Pierre-Louis wrote in his letter to Prime Minister Conille. “Having become a target of these individuals, we are exposed to threats of potential attacks.”

The allegations had been circulating behind the scenes for over a week before being taken up by the ULCC. The anti-corruption unit’s involvement has turned the matter into a significant scandal threatening to tarnish the CPT’s image. There have been mixed reactions, with some supporting the accused councilors and others calling for their immediate resignation.

Haiti has a history of political instability and corruption, which provides a backdrop to these recent allegations. The CPT has been under scrutiny, with internal conflicts and external pressures from international bodies like CARICOM and the United States, in order to establish a stable governance structure free of corruption.

On July 25, the ULCC invited Pierre-Louis to a hearing scheduled for July 30 as part of the ongoing investigation into the matter.

“The general management of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) has the advantage of informing you that a commission of inquiry, duly mandated for this purpose, wishes to meet you for a hearing which will take place on Tuesday, 30 July 2024, at 10 a.m. at the ULCC premises located at 20, Delmas 83,” a letter addressed to Pierre-Louis read. 

Reactions and denial claims amid finger pointing

The accusation of extortion against members of Haiti’s CPT is a grave matter that warrants thorough investigation, some say. People from both the government and civil society agree that drawing parallels from other cases of financial misconduct, it is clear that such allegations, if substantiated, can lead to significant legal and political fallout for the transitional institution. The integrity of the banking sector and the trust in public officials are at stake, emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in addressing these accusations, people argue.

Leaders of Engagés pour le Développement (EDE) have demanded the withdrawal of their representative, Augustin, from the CPT, citing the dishonorable nature of the situation.

“This is a dishonorable situation for the CPT,” said the national political bureau of  EDE in a note. “Consequently, to avoid any hindrance to the investigation already initiated by the ULCC and to justice, to restore a climate of confidence likely to facilitate the success of the interim period, we immediately demand the withdrawal of Mr. Smith Augustin and his immediate replacement following the provisions of the Agreement of April 3, 2024.” 

For his part, André Michel,  leader of the December 21 agreement, which designated Louis Gérald Gilles as a representative within the CPT, has called for a swift clarification of the corruption accusations.

 “Beyond small personal and partisan calculations, the credibility of this transition process is at stake, the success of which is essential for the stability and development of the country,” Michel posted on X.

The Montana Agreement Monitoring Office (BSA) has also criticized the CPT for a series of abuses and called for the withdrawal of the implicated members to facilitate justice.

The accused councilors have claimed their innocence. For one, Augustin’s communications office released a statement calling the allegations false and slanderous, attributing them to politically motivated actions to destabilize the CPT.

Along the same lines, Pitit Desalin’s political party leader, Jean Charles Moïse, who spoke on Radio Caraibes on Monday, attributed the corruption allegations to a political sector wanting to harm his party’s representative within the CPT. 

“Mr. Raoul Pascal Pierre-Louis, the chairman of the Board of Directors of the BNC, has three days to prove Councilor Emmanuel Vertilaire’s involvement in the matter,” former Senator Moïse said.

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