UN-Sanctioned Individuals in the Crosshairs of Haitian Justice
By La Rédaction · 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 Ministry of Justice and Public Security instructed the public prosecutor's office on Tuesday to take precautionary measures targeting individuals designated by the United Nations as being involved in criminal activities. In a letter dated May 12, the minister also asked the government commissioner to order the freezing of bank accounts of several individuals on the sanctions list, as well as the initiation of in-depth financial investigations against those concerned.
This list includes notorious names from organized crime such as: Jimmy Chérizier, alias « Barbecue », leader of the G9; Johnson André, alias « Izo »; Renel Destina, alias « Ti Lapli »; Wilson Joseph, alias « Lanmò 100 Jou »; Viltelhomme Innocent; Luckson Élan, leader of the Gran Grif gang; and Prophane Victor, former deputy of Petite Rivière de l'Artibonite (2016-2020). They are all accused of common law crimes, including massacres, kidnappings, and terrorist acts.
International pressure has intensified, to the point that the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) had sent a note to the judiciary on April 28, urging it to react firmly to this scourge. In this regard, the measures adopted are in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2653 and the decree of April 30, 2023, on the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
Other political figures and economic sector actors are included in the UN's final report, testifying to the complexity of the case, linking these actors to gangs recently classified as transnational terrorists. This approach emphasizes the need for an effective and adequate response.
International sanctions affect more than sixty Haitian individuals. While some of them do not have identifiable assets in the formal financial system, the freezing measures imposed by the government could nonetheless mark a significant step towards better repression of criminal activities, while contributing to restoring citizens' trust in Haitian justice.
Jean Mapou
