Haitian police killed Arnel Joseph, one of the country’s leading armed gang leaders, on Friday, a day after he escaped from Croix-des-Bouquets prison during a bloody riot that killed at least eight people, including the prison director.
Joseph’s death was confirmed to Efe by Haitian National Police spokesman Garry Desrosiers.
Police intercepted the dangerous capo in Lester (Artibonite) near the Peace Tribunal when he was apparently riding his motorcycle to meet with his armed group again, Desrosiers said.
Considered one of the most dangerous bandits in the country, Joseph was known for the violent methods with which his gang controlled the Village de Dieu district of Port-au-Prince.
Arnel Joseph was arrested in July 2019 after months of persecution and remained in pre-trial detention in Croix-des-Bouquets pending trial for murder and other charges, until yesterday he escaped after the bloody revolt, from which he still reached an official balance of victims was offered.
The Citizens’ Protection Bureau said in a statement yesterday that the Croix-des-Bouquets prison had “escaped a spectacular escape”, in which “dozens of prisoners had time to cross the prison walls”.
Haitian President Jovenel Moise condemned the event via his Twitter profile: “We condemn the escape of the Croix-des-Bouquets and urge the population to remain calm.” The National Police “is instructed to take all necessary measures to control the situation,” he added.
Croix-des-Bouquets Prison is home to hundreds of detainees, including members of armed gangs, as well as several opponents of President Moses who were arrested on February 7 on charges of planning a coup against the president.
Haiti is currently facing a deep political crisis that worsened on February 7, with the denunciation of the coup and the arrest of a number of opponents involved in the alleged plot.
This complaint fueled demonstrations by the opposition against Jovenel Moise, which have since taken place virtually daily in the Haitian capital.