Haitian extradited from Ja pleads guilty in Moïse murder case

Florida, United States (AP):

Former Haitian senator John Joel Joseph pleaded guilty on Tuesday in the United States to charges related to the 2021 assassination of former President Jovenel Moïse.

Joseph made his appearance at a Miami federal court and changed his plea after reaching an agreement with the government.

The former politician, who is to be sentenced on December 19, faces a possible life sentence, but the US government would recommend reducing it if he cooperates with the investigation.

Joseph was extradited from Jamaica to the US in May 2022 to face charges of 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.

Joseph is one of the 11 people facing charges related to the killing in South Florida.

According to the charges, Joseph and others, including about 20 Colombian citizens and several dual Haitian-American citizens, participated in a plot to kidnap or kill Haiti’s president, who was slain at his home in Haiti on July 7, 2021.

President Moïse was killed when assailants broke into his private home in Port-au-Prince. He was 53 years old.

The former senator was arrested in Jamaica in January, and in March he agreed to be extradited to the US.

The Haitian government also arrested more than 40 people for their alleged roles in the murder.