Haiti Gang Accused of Burning Courthouse

A courthouse near the Haitian capital of Port-Au-Prince was burned early Tuesday. Prosecutors suspect gang members were responsible for lighting up the courthouse on fire, as they are targeting the country's judicial system.

A prosecutor for the Croix-des-Bouquets region, Roosevelt Zamor, spoke with the Associated Press and said that important documents have been burned in the fire, which partially burned the courthouse, which is located northeast of Port-au-Prince.

The region where the courthouse was burned is under the control of the 400 Mawozo Gang, who are also accused of killing a police inspector while attending a church in Croix-des-Bouquets. The gang later also lit the building on fire. Zamor said that police are working day and night to stabilize the community that is currently under the dangerous gang.

The gang that burned the church and courthouse previously raided the Court of First Instance in downtown Port-au-Prince. They looted and burned case files, as well as pieces of evidence, and are still currently in control of parts of that courthouse.

Rise in Gang Violence in Haiti After Assassination of President Jovenel Moïse

According to the Washington Post, gang activity and violence, as well as kidnappings, have all skyrocketed following the assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. Violent turf wars have shut down once-busy main roads which lead to the country's northern and southern regions.

Police are currently trying to put down a recent spate of gang-related violence in the Port-au-Prince slum of Cite de Soleil. The UN reported that over 470 people have already been killed, injured, or gone missing. Another estimated 3,000 people have now been forced to flee their homes as well.

Gangs have so far overwhelmed the Haitian National Police. The situation has grown so dire in the country that the United Nations has warned that Haiti's police need immediate help in order to fight crime. The United States and other countries are currently providing training and resources for the Haitian police, which only has 12,800 active police officers. They are serving 11 million people, and are understaffed and outgunned as the gangs continue their rampage.

The recent gang violence has also fueled mass migrations out of the country, with many seeking to enter the United States illegally. Many of these migrants brave harsh conditions and rough seas to escape the country.

Courthouse Proceedings Have Not Yet Resumed After Gang Invasion

Another Haitian gang is known as the "Five Segonn" gang, or "5 Seconds" Gang, also took over a courthouse in Port-au-Prince. They invaded the city's main courthouse last June 10, and broke windows, vandalized courtrooms, seized court files, and also shot a security guard.

The courthouse was considered one of the country's highest courthouses. Police struggled to regain control of the building, as the gang held it hostage for several days.

According to the Haitian Times, the invasion forced several cases to be postponed. The takeover lasted over a week, and some cases are still pending. Judges, lawyers, litigants, and prisoners narrowly escaped injury and death.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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