The widow of the assassinated Haitian President presents a terrifying report on the killing

It was revealed last Wednesday before a federal jury in Miami that the gunmen who assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 spoke Spanish and shot him while he was on the ground.

On that day, the second day of the trial of four individuals accused of planning her husband's assassination and hiring a team of Colombian hitmen for the purpose, the President's 51-year-old widow, Mrs. Martine Moïse, appeared to give testimony.

She told the court, testifying in Haitian Creole, that she had already been shot and wounded when the gunmen fired the final volley at the President, and realizing that no one was coming to save her, she closed her eyes.

She stated that she saw the President's body tremble from the gunfire and heard a painful sound from him, and according to the autopsy, the President was hit by 12 bullets and died on the spot.

Mrs. Martine described how one of the assassins grabbed her leg, turned her over, and shone a flashlight on her face to check if she was alive, and because blood was flowing from her mouth due to the gunshot wounds, the assassins, thinking she was dead, refrained from shooting her further.

This trial centers on the activities of 'Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy' (CTU), a security firm in the Miami area, and the prosecution alleges that the firm's objective was to assassinate the President and secure lucrative security contracts from the new administration that would replace him.

The defendants include the company's co-owners, Antonio Intriago and Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, their business partner Walter Veintemilla, and security officer James Solages.

The defense attorneys argue that their clients are innocent and that they hired these Colombians to provide security for the lawful arrest and removal of the President from power.

Mrs. Martine told the jury that the gunmen were speaking Spanish and that one of them was addressed by the nickname 'Jefe,' meaning 'boss,' and another as 'Pipe.'

The prosecution has identified 'Pipe' as Victor Pineda, a former Colombian special forces officer.

She stated that the assassins were rummaging through the President's belongings, searching for something, and communicating with each other until they found what they were looking for, and defense attorneys have suggested that they might have been searching for an executive order allegedly signed by the President appointing a new prime minister.

Two watches belonging to the President and his wife, as well as a necklace belonging to the former First Lady, found in the possession of one of the Colombians arrested after the assassination, were presented as evidence to the jury.

During Wednesday's trial, Mrs. Martine further detailed that a shootout began outside the house around 1 AM and lasted for about 45 minutes.

In his final minutes, the President made phone calls to his security chief and the police chief, pleading for urgent help, but by the time they arrived, it was too late.

Evidence has revealed that the President's 50-member security detail was not operational that day due to approximately $80,000 in bribes paid by the conspirators.

During cross-examination by defense attorneys, attempts were made to highlight discrepancies between Mrs. Martine's testimony given on Wednesday and the statement she gave to F.B.I. investigators a few days after the assassination while hospitalized.

When questioned about stating in court that the shooting outside the house lasted 45 minutes, despite previously saying it lasted four or five minutes, she replied that she might have made such a statement because she was in severe pain and on painkillers after surgery.

She recalled seeing her husband's pained face while hiding under a bed, and that the assassins shot the President after describing the appearance of the person they were looking for.

According to phone records, a photo of the President's dead body was sent to the phone of one of the Colombian team members who remained outside the house shortly after the assassination.

She tearfully stated that after the shooters left, she dragged herself across the floor to her husband, and seeing that one of his eyes had already come out, she asked God why she was still alive.