The federal trial of four South Florida men accused of conspiring in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse has entered its sixth week, featuring intense and detailed testimony from former Haitian senator John Joël Joseph.
Joseph, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison in December 2023, took the stand for more than three days as the government’s first major cooperating witness. He is seeking a sentence reduction in exchange for his testimony, according to reports.
Testifying in federal court in Miami, Joseph described how an initial plan to remove President Moïse, through forced exile or resignation — evolved into a deadly raid on July 7, 2021. Moïse was shot a dozen times in his bedroom during the attack. His wife, Martine Moïse, was seriously wounded but survived the assault.
Joseph told the court he met with prosecutors 31 times to prepare for his testimony. He outlined several earlier failed attempts to oust Moïse, including a botched plan to drug the president at his sister’s home and force him to sign a resignation letter, as well as another scheme involving promised weapons and a helicopter from the Dominican Republic that fell apart over funding disputes.
A turning point came after Joseph met with Christian Emmanuel Sanon, whose ambitions reportedly alarmed him. Joseph then advocated for former Superior Court Judge Windelle Coq Thélot to serve as a transitional leader instead.
On the evening before the killing, Joseph arrived around 7:45 p.m. at the home of another cooperating witness, convicted cocaine trafficker Rodolphe “Dodof” Jaar. There, he encountered Joseph Félix Badio and others, while Colombian ex-soldiers were reportedly cleaning weapons nearby.
Joseph described defendant James Solages, a CTU security representative in Haiti, as the “commander in chief” of the operation. He testified that “the person who was calling the shots was Solages.”
According to Joseph, the plan dramatically shifted that night to “kill & burn” both President Moïse and his wife. He claimed Solages told him “one entry, one exit,” which he interpreted as a clear directive to assassinate the president. Shocked by the change, Joseph insisted the original goal was exile, not murder.
He testified that he was ultimately left stranded as the convoy — including Colombian mercenaries, rogue Haitian police officers, Solages, and others — headed toward Moïse’s residence in the Pèlerin 5 neighborhood of Port-au-Prince.
Joseph’s testimony is a key part of the government’s case against the four South Florida defendants, who are accused of conspiring to kidnap or kill the Haitian president. The trial continues in Miami federal court, with additional cooperating witnesses expected to testify.
The assassination of Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021, sent shockwaves through Haiti and the international community. The case has revealed a complex web of alleged plots involving Haitian politicians, businessmen, Colombian mercenaries, and South Florida connections.
This story is developing as the trial progresses. More testimony and evidence are expected in the coming weeks.
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