December 22, 2024
Louis Gérald Gilles, a presidential adviser, refused to appear on Monday, December 9, 2024, before Judge Félismé’s office, citing, through his lawyers, immunity from ordinary judicial proceedings. His colleagues, Emmanuel Vertilaire and Smith Augustin, adopted the same stance, challenging the judge’s authority. Their resistance rests on a claim of privileges equivalent to those of a president, while their lawyers threaten to escalate the matter to the Superior Council of the Judicial Power (SCJP) to demand the judge’s removal.
This refusal comes amid an investigation into allegations of corruption involving the National Credit Bank (NCB). The three advisers are accused of demanding a 100 million gourdes bribe from Pascal Raoul Pierre Louis, former president of the NCB, in exchange for retaining his position. Despite the severity of the allegations, no concrete action has been taken, and the advisers continue to serve in their roles, highlighting a deeply rooted culture of impunity in Haiti’s political system.
The scandal casts a shadow over the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), established in April 2024 to navigate a politically fragile transition. Initially seen as a temporary solution to stabilize Haiti, the CPT’s credibility is crumbling in the face of these revelations. Calls for the resignation of the advisers, particularly Smith Augustin, have multiplied but remain unheeded, while the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) has recommended legal proceedings for abuse of office and passive corruption.
In a country ranked among the most corrupt in the Americas, this case intensifies the despair of a population already grappling with insecurity and poverty. As institutions falter under the weight of scandals, the judiciary’s inability to act against the elite reinforces a sense of political stagnation. For many, the current crisis reflects a vicious cycle of instability and poor governance, pushing the prospect of national recovery further out of reach.