Haiti: They deny extending the deadline to investigate the assassination of Jovenel Moïse

The request that was made to obtain a longer term to investigate the assassination of the president of Haiti, Jovenel Moise, was denied, a magistrate told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

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The dean of the Port-au-Prince Court of First Instance, Bernard Saint-Vil, did not explain why he refused to grant an extension.

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His decision stemmed from the request of Garry Orelien, the judge investigating the July 7 fatal shooting of Moïse at his home address. In court documents filed in late December, Orelien merely requested a “substantial stay” to process the case.

More than 40 people have been arrested in connection with the assassination, including 18 former Colombian soldiers, most of whom were duped, according to the Colombian government.

Orelien could not be immediately reached for comment. It was also unclear whether he could appeal the decision or how the lack of an extension might affect the case.

Jamaican authorities have arrested two of the suspects wanted in the case, including a former Colombian soldier who was later charged in the United States and a former Haitian senator. Another suspect was arrested in the Dominican Republic earlier this month.

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Deshawn