ARTICLE - ARRESTS MADE IN BNC ASSASSINATION CASE

POLICE ARREST FORMER CHAIRMAN OF BNC-ABSORBED BANK IN ASSASSINATION CASE
(Defend Haiti) - By Sylvio Simon

PORT-AU-PRINCE - By the order of the Prosecutor's Office of Commissioner Harrycidas Auguste, the Police Nationale d'Haiti arrested the CEO of Haïtel telecommunications and former Chairman of Socabank - absorbed by the BNC - Franck Ciné, in connection with their investigation of the assassination of BNC Chair, Guiteau Toussaint.

Attorney for Ciné, Wilson Estimé, speaking on Radio Caraïbes said that the arrest was made without reason and no charges have been levied on his client.

"They brought in a justice of the peace in order to question Franck Ciné," he said stressing that nothing can be brought against his client.

"The matter of the assassination of the Director of the National Bank of Credit (BNC), Guiteau Toussaint, was raised in the letter of invitation, to bring him in for questioning" continued Ciné's counsel.

"At the court, many questions were asked to the former member of the Board of Socabank (Franck Ciné) of his personal relationship, professional or otherwise, with the victim."

"They have nothing against Franck Ciné." said Wilson Estimé. "They have proceeded to the arrest someone for wrong involvement not wrong-doing," he said.

According to him, nobody has said what the charges are against his client.

For now, Franck Ciné is being detained at Canapé-Vert, in Port-au-Prince. Ciné's attorney says his condition is not stable and steps are being taken to have him transferred to another facility.

Guiteau Toussaint, was the Chairman of the National Bank of Credit (BNC), which had in February of 2007 absorbed the assets of Socabank. Subsequently, Toussaint would have published a list naming individuals who had committed fraud, forgery, laundering and other malfeasance, which led to the bankruptcy of Socabank.

In 2007, Franck Ciné, as well as Patrick Poitevien, Patrick Vieux, Claudel Géhy, all former members of the Board of Directors of Socabank, had been arrested and charged with forgery, use of forgeries, conspiracy and fraud.

Hypertensive and diabetic, the majority shareholder of Socabank fell into a depressive state, and his health deteriorated day by day. In 2007, he had been authorized by the National Penitentiary Administration (APENA) to receive the care that he required in his case at Canapé-Vert Hospital.

After 25 months of detention, Chief of the public prosecutor's Office of Port-au-Prince, Mr Joseph Manès Louis, had ordered on Friday, July 10, 2009, in execution of the judgment of the Court of cassation of the Republic on Wednesday, July 8, Franck Ciné released.

More than 17 suspects have been named so far in connection with the assassination including former Lavalas activist Yvon ZapZap Antoine. The National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH) has warned investigators to employ caution and not be overzealous or fall to diversions.