Haiti: Anti-Corruption Unit Investigates 3 Members of Transitional Presidential Council

Transitional Council Haiti, Oct 2024 Photo: @MESAVI

October 3, 2024 Hour: 4:12 pm

The Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) of Haiti recommended that three members of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) be prosecuted for various irregularities.

In a report released the day before, the body created by the Haitian state to deal with corruption, noted that Louis Gerald Gilles, Smith Augustin and Emmanuel Vertilaires should be prosecuted for abuse of their functions, bribery and passive corruption.

The entity demanded that they be separated from their functions and that «public action be launched».

According to the ULCC report, Gilles, Augustin and Vertilaires have requested 100 million gourdes (about $759,700) to influence the re-election of Raoul Pascal Pierre-Louis as chairman of the board of directors of the Banque Nationale de Crédit (BNC, public bank).

Impliqués dans le scandale de corruption de la BNC selon le rapport de l’ULCC, les conseillers présidentiels Louis Gérald Gilles, Smith Augustin et Emmanuel Vertilaire affirment qu’ils n’ont pas l’intention de démissionner. Ils déclarent rester fidèles à leurs fonctions. #Haiti pic.twitter.com/CSRaQPhJIy
— L’oeil mondial info (@Loeilmondial) October 3, 2024

The ULCC also demanded public action against Raoul Pierre-Louis, former president of the CNB, who was charged with obstruction of justice. The official is unaccounted for and therefore requested to be extradited to Haiti.

Last September, Gilles, Augustin and Vertilaire appeared before the ULCC commission of inquiry and were questioned about the scandal surrounding the BNC.

According to the Haitian press, Smith Augustin and Emmanuel Vertilaire denied any allegations of bribery. Louis Gerald Gilles also did so, although he acknowledged that he had participated in a meeting at which the re-election of Raoul Pascal Pierre-Louis to head the BNC was discussed.

In August, Prime Minister Garry Conille removed Raoul Pierre-Louis from his post as chairman of the Bank’s board.

According to press reports, as a result of the report submitted by the ULCC, the three presidential advisers accused run the risk of losing their posts in the CPT.