Haiti’s anti-corruption unit recommended on Tuesday that legal proceedings be opened against former president Michel Martelly, accusing him of filing “false and fraudulent” asset declarations and concealing significant financial holdings.
In a report submitted to judicial authorities, the Unit for the Fight Against Corruption (ULCC) alleges that Martelly, who led the Caribbean nation from 2011 to 2016, repeatedly violated a 2008 law requiring public officials to disclose their wealth.
According to the investigation, the former leader submitted his initial declaration more than a month after the legal deadline and filed his exit declaration nearly two years after leaving office—delays the ULCC said rendered the documents “legally void.”
The report highlights a substantial disparity between Martelly’s declared assets and the findings of investigators.
Upon taking office in 2011, Martelly declared seven bank accounts, but the ULCC identified at least 20 accounts across four financial institutions. Similarly, upon his departure, only eight accounts were disclosed, despite records showing the existence of 17. The report also noted the omission of a loan contracted by his wife, Sophia Martelly.
The ULCC concluded that these discrepancies were not administrative errors but a calculated strategy to conceal the family’s assets, and has recommended fraud charges.
The case presents a test for Haiti’s judicial system, which faces frequent criticism for its perceived inability to prosecute powerful political figures.
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