Thursday in the trial on Appeal of Amaral Duclona, aka "Berthone Jolicoeur", former leader of a gang of "chimeric" which began on Monday in Creteil, France https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16550-haiti-flash-a-former-haitian-gang-leader-retried-in-france.html , the Advocate General requested a sentence of 25 years imprisonment against the accused.

Let us recall that "Berthony Jolicoeur" was arrested in September 2009 in the Dominican Republic and extradited to France in 2010, accused of kidnapping, forcible confinement and murder in 2004 in Cité Soleil, of a French-Haitian entrepreneur Claude Bernard Lauture. He was convicted of these facts, by the French Justice in May 2014 after deliberation by the jury, to 25 years in prison.

According to the Advocate General "there is sufficient evidence that he participated in the detention and sequestration of Claude Bernard Lauture," deploring that Amaral Duclona be alone in the box, saying "It lacks some of the perpetrators [... ] much more serious, missing people much higher," convinced that "the shadow of the power of Jean-Bertrand Aristide has hovered over this kidnapping."

For his part Amaral Duclona throughout the debates this week has continued to minimize his role in Cité Soleil and his innocence, "I ask myself the same question for six years: why am I here? [...] I am innocent," claiming not being involved "either near or far" in this case.

The verdict is expected this Friday.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16550-haiti-flash-a-former-haitian-gang-leader-retried-in-france.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-11217-haiti-justice-amaral-duclona-aristide-s-armed-wing-sentenced-to-25-years-prison.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-11195-haiti-justice-second-day-of-trial-for-amaral-duclona.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-11174-haiti-justice-opening-in-france-of-the-trial-of-a-gang-leader-of-chimeres.html

TB/ HaitiLibre