Haiti: A former paramilitary leader due to appear July 11 in a New York court

central america / caribbean | miscellaneous | non-anarchist press Friday July 14, 2006 22:02 by Friend of Haiti - AHP sub at sonic dot net

to answer to charges of fraud, theft and utilization of forged documents

American attorney Moira Feeney confirmed Friday that Emmanuel Constant, leader of the paramilitary organization FRAPH (Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti), has been arrested on charges of fraud, theft and utilization of phoney documents.

New-York, July 6, 2006 (AHP) ; American attorney Moira Feeney confirmed Friday that Emmanuel Constant, leader of the paramilitary organization FRAPH (Front for the Advancement and Progress of Haiti), has been arrested on charges of fraud, theft and utilization of phoney documents.

Ms. Feeney, who is also an official with a California human rights organization, told AHP that Mr. Constant was arrested along with five Americans on an accusation of dishonest operations consisting of extorting large sums of money from individuals, passing themselves off as brokers assisting in the purchase of a house.

Ms. Feeney said she is concerned that Toto Constant may succeed in obtaining provisional release until the trial by paying bail set at $50,000. She has been working hard for several years to bring about the arrest of Toto Constant for crimes committed in Haiti during the period of the military coup d'état from 1991 to1994 against President Aristide.

Emmanuel Constant is due to appear in court on July 11 in connection with the fraud charges. The court will not try him for crimes against humanity committed in Haiti because U.S. laws applicable to such cases were only enacted after November 1994.

The second in command of FRAPH, Louis Jodel Chamblin, who also fled after the return of President Aristide in October 1994 was tried and convicted in absentia for the same crimes attributed to Emmanuel Toto Constant.

Chamblin returned to Haiti in January 2004 with the armed bands that attacked the Aristide government. He "surrendered to the justice system" in march 2004 following a face-to-face meeting with the then Minister of Justice, Bernard Gousse, and was later set free in recognition of services rendered.