Haitian investigators seek indictment of three CPT members for corruption 

PORT-AU-PRINCE — The Haitian Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) has called for legal action against three members of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) and the former chairman of the National Bank of Credit (BNC) following a two-month investigation into a corruption scandal involving bribery, abuse of power and obstruction of justice.

In a 12-page report published Wednesday, the ULCC presented evidence of corruption, obstruction of justice, and abuse of office against the implicated individuals. The government anti-corruption agency urged judicial authorities to prosecute the officials swiftly.

The report names Louis Gérald Gilles, Emmanuel Vertilaire, and Smith Augustin, all members of the CPT, as well as Raoul Pascal Pierre-Louis, the former chairman of the BNC’s board of directors, as key figures in the case. According to investigators, there is sufficient evidence to charge these four individuals with corruption and obstruction.

Origins of the scandal

The investigation began after Pierre-Louis accused the CPT members of demanding a bribe of 100 million gourdes (approximately $1 million) to retain his position as BNC chairman. In a letter to Interim Prime Minister Garry Conille on July 25, Pierre-Louis alleged that the councilors abused their positions for personal gain.

In response to these allegations, members of the public and various institutions demanded the resignation of the accused officials. Gilles, Vertilaire, and Augustin denied any wrongdoing, labeling the accusations politically motivated and part of a plot to discredit the CPT.

While Gilles defended himself publicly through media appearances, Vertilaire and Augustin threatened legal action against Pierre-Louis for defamation, filing summonses in a Haitian court.

Despite the ongoing investigation, the transition government dismissed Pierre-Louis and the BNC’s board of directors on Aug. 8. In a letter to Pierre-Louis, Prime Minister Conille announced the government’s decision, stating that the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) would appoint a new management committee to oversee the BNC.

Investigation findings

Testimonies from over a dozen witnesses revealed discrepancies in the statements made by the three CPT members and Pierre-Louis. Although the officials denied soliciting bribes, investigators uncovered a scheme involving  Pierre-Louis irregularly issuing credit cards with excessive limits to each councilor without board approval.

According to the report, two meetings in May 2024—one at the Oasis Hotel in Pétion-Ville and another at Pierre-Louis’ private residence—were central to the scheme’s planning. The ULCC reported that the CPT members were each provided credit cards totaling 1.8 million gourdes ($20,000) in available credit—an amount well over the limit established by the bank’s governing rules.

“These cards were issued under the direct instruction of Pierre-Louis, bypassing the board of directors,” the report noted. Investigators also accused the CPT members of passive corruption and Pierre-Louis of active corruption for his role in approving the bribes.

“By accepting Pierre-Louis’ offer, the councilors abused their positions and engaged in bribery, violating Articles 5.5, 14, and 21 of the 2014 anti-corruption law,” the ULCC said.

Legal action and future of the CPT members

The ULCC urged Haitian courts to initiate legal proceedings against the four individuals implicated in the scandal. Additionally, the agency requested Pierre-Louis’ extradition from the United States, citing both the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption (ICCC) and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). The report also referenced Haiti’s extradition treaty with the U.S. and the country’s 1912 law on the extradition of fugitives.

The investigation also implicated Lonick Léandre, Haiti’s consul in Santiago, Dominican Republic, in facilitating the bribery scheme. The ULCC recommended charges against Léandre under the 2014 anti-corruption law.

As the legal process unfolds, questions remain about the future of the CPT members. Two of the CPT’s nominative bodies have already requested the resignation of their representatives, and discussions about potential replacements are ongoing.

With the investigation report now public and the case transferred to the Port-au-Prince Court of First Instance, legal proceedings against the accused have officially begun.

The ULCC invited the media to a press conference this Thursday afternoon, Oct. 3, to review the investigation’s findings and explain why the institution is seeking indictment of the five individuals.

The post Haitian investigators seek indictment of three CPT members for corruption  appeared first on The Haitian Times.

---

Haitian investigators seek indictment of three CPT members for corruption  was first posted on October 3, 2024 at 12:41 pm.