Haitian Presidential Council Members Accused of Bribery

Haiti's anti-corruption agency accused three members of the transitional presidential council of demanding over USD 750,000 in bribes from the director of the National Bank of Credit. The agency's report threatens the political stability of the country and has led to criminal charges for all involved.

Haiti's anti-corruption agency on Wednesday delivered a damning report implicating three members of the transitional presidential council in a bribery scandal. The trio—Smith Augustin, Emmanuel Vertilaire, and Louis Gérald Gilles—allegedly demanded more than USD 750,000 from Raoul Pascal Pierre-Louis, the former director of the National Bank of Credit.

The accusations detail a meeting organized by Gilles at the Royal Oasis Hotel, where the bribe was supposedly solicited. Also implicated is Haitian consul Lonick Leandre, who reportedly facilitated the bribe acceptance. Pierre-Louis proposed alternative financial arrangements totalling USD 73,500 in lines of credit in lieu of the demanded sum.

All accused parties, including the bank manager, now face serious criminal charges. Additionally, the anti-corruption unit has called for the extradition of Pierre-Louis to the US. This development poses a significant threat to the already fragile political stability in Haiti.

(With inputs from agencies.)