ARTICLE - MINISTER OF JUSTICE WAS REMOVED

MINISTER OF JUSTICE SAYS PROSECUTOR WAS REMOVED, RATHER THAN RESIGNED
(Defend Haiti) -

PORT-AU-PRINCE - In a communication dated January 1st, the Ministry of Justice contradicted the claims made by the former government prosecutor, who said he had resigned from his position on principle, rather than that he was removed from the post for incorrect behavior.

A letter, delivered on December 31st, from the Government Commissioner, Lionel Bourgoin, to the Minister of Justice, Michel Brunache, stated that he had resigned from his position as the head of prosecutions in Port-au-Prince because he could not "discredit" himself by arresting a citizen without a warrant.

The Ministry of Justice released a note to the press on Monday morning dated, January 1st, saying that the former Government Commissioner, Bourgoin, was "removed from office for adopting incorrect and inappropriate behavior in the case."

The ministry announced a replacement for Bourgoin, Jonas Ravange, who will be the fifth Government Commissioner of Port-au-Prince in six months.

The ministry also informed all those interested that "following a strictly administrative decision, it was required of former members of the Provisional Electoral Council to empty their hands of all goods and materials of the state in their possession."

And "in the meantime, [the ministry] had adopted measures designed to preserve the authority of the state and to uphold the rule of law against two former board members who have not considered the provisions in the order dated December 29, 2011, ending the mandate of the members of the council" and requesting the state's property.

Two former members of the Provisional Electoral Council had been stopped while boarding a plane to leave Haiti on Friday, one of which, was the President of the Provisional Electoral Council, Gaillot Dorsinvil. The electoral council has been strongly criticized for managing an election marred with fraud, and inconsistencies with little explanation.