Assassination of Jovenel Moïse: Former Prime Minister Claude Joseph at the heart of a new judicial phase
By Newsroom · Port-au-Prince
· 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
PORT-AU-PRINCE.— The investigation into the assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moïse reaches a new stage. This Monday, December 8, 2025, former Prime Minister Claude Joseph was questioned by investigating judge Denis Cyprien, recently appointed to take over the case following the annulment, by the Port-au-Prince Court of Appeal, of the order issued by magistrate Walther Wesser Voltaire.
This hearing is part of a crucial phase of the investigation, as the Haitian justice system attempts to revive an emblematic case, considered one of the most sensitive in the country's recent political history. The stated objective is to resume the examination of the facts in order to rigorously reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the assassination of the head of state, which occurred on the night of July 6 to 7, 2021, at his private residence in Pèlerin 5.
Claude Joseph's summons comes in a context of the gradual resumption of hearings of key figures in the case. A few days earlier, Joseph Félix Badio, presented by judicial authorities as a central suspect, had already been heard. By conducting these successive hearings, Judge Denis Cyprien seems to want to confront the different versions, identify potential contradictions, and more clearly establish the chain of responsibility surrounding this state crime.
More than four years after the events, the assassination of Jovenel Moïse continues to attract keen attention, both nationally and internationally. Procedural delays, changes in investigating magistrates, and judicial controversies have fostered a climate of frustration among a population seeking truth and justice.
As the investigation continues under the new judge, public opinion remains attentive to the case's evolution. Many hope that this new judicial phase will mark a decisive turning point and finally provide clear answers regarding one of the most significant and consequential crimes in Haiti's contemporary history.
Jean Mapou
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