Investigators in Haiti accuse 3 members of transitional presidential council of corruption

San Juan, Puerto Rico — 

An anti-corruption bureau successful Haiti connected Wednesday accused 3 members of the country's transitional statesmanlike assembly of bribery successful a scathing study that threatens to destabilize the country’s fragile governmental stability.

Smith Augustin, Emmanuel Vertilaire and Louis Gerald Gilles are accused of demanding much than $750,000 from the manager of the government-owned National Bank of Credit to unafraid his job, the Unit for Combating Corruption said successful its report.

Gilles organized a gathering among the assembly members, the erstwhile slope director, Raoul Pascal Pierre-Louis, and Haitian consul Lonick Leandre astatine the Royal Oasis Hotel successful the superior of Port-au-Prince, wherever the request was made, the bureau said. Leandre besides is accused of accepting bribes.

After the meeting, Pierre-Louis mentioned the request to respective officials, including Prime Minister Garry Conille and a judge. Unable to travel with the much than $750,000, Pierre-Louis projected alternatively to put loans oregon lines of credit, according to the report.

Authorities said that 4 lines of recognition were soon arranged, 3 of them up to $20,000 each for the assembly members accused, and a 4th up to $13,500 for Leandre.

The 3 assembly members and the slope manager each look transgression charges of bribery and corruption, the anti-corruption portion said. Leandre faces charges of instigating bribe payments. None of them could beryllium reached for comment.

The bureau besides called connected the U.S. authorities to extradite Pierre-Louis.