Suspect in Haitian President’s assassination nabbed

One of the suspects wanted in connection with the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, Samir Handal have been arrested by Turkish authorities on Tuesday.

Moïse was assassinated in his private residence in the capital, Port-au-Prince, on 7 July. The president was shot 12 times and had bullet wounds to his forehead and several to his torso.

His left eye had been gouged out and bones in his arm and in his ankle had been broken, according to one of the judges conducting the investigation.

Haitian police accused a group of mainly foreign mercenaries – 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans – made up the group that carried out the killing.

READ ALSO: 15 Colombians, 2 Haitian Americans arrested over assassination of Haitian president

Handal, the arrested suspect was flying from the U.S. to Jordan and transiting through Istanbul, the report said, adding that Handal had been sought on an Interpol notice.

The suspect was sent to jail in Istanbul after the authorities issued a 40-day temporary custody order.

Haitian Foreign Minister Claude Joseph said on his Twitter account that he spoke with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu about the arrest, without giving further information.

Haitian police announced on 11 July they had arrested a “key suspect” in the president’s assassination.

Police Chief Léon Charles alleged that Haitian national Christian Emmanuel Sanon had hired 26 of the 28-strong hit squad through a Miami-based company called CTU, run by Venezuelan national Tony Intriago.

Mr Charles said Mr Sanon was “the first person” that one of the Colombian suspects had called when police surrounded them.

He added that the 63-year-old doctor, who resides in Florida, had arrived in Haiti on a private jet in early June with “political motives”