Miami:A Haitian-American pastor is on trial in Miami, accused of involvement in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. Christian Emmanuel Sanon faces eight charges, including conspiracy to kidnap or kill a person outside the United States.

According to Anadolu Agency, US prosecutors allege that Sanon played a key role in financing the conspiracy and organizing travel and accommodations for those involved in the plot. The planning reportedly began in April 2021 during a meeting in South Florida between Sanon, a former Haitian senator, and US businesspeople.

President Moise was killed on July 7, 2021, by armed men who entered his residence in Port-au-Prince. His wife, Martine Moise, was injured in the attack. In the aftermath, Haiti experienced a significant increase in armed gang activity, which now covers large parts of the country.

In the United States, over 40 individuals have been charged in relation to the assassination, with 12 convictions, including five life sentences. The investigation expanded this year, leading to charges against 30 additional suspects and the transfer of 18 defendants from Haitian to US custody. This group includes Joseph Felix Badio, a former Haitian government official, and 17 ex-Colombian soldiers accused of participating in the operation.

Meanwhile, legal proceedings in Haiti have encountered numerous delays due to security issues, including judges resigning and gangs seizing control of a courthouse in Port-au-Prince. Since Moise's assassination, Haiti has not had an elected president and is currently preparing for elections set for December. The nation continues to grapple with severe gang violence, resulting in thousands of deaths and over a million displaced people in recent years.