PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti, Dec 13, CMC – Police have held nine people for questioning in relation to the murder of 24-year old police officer, who was shot and killed at his home in Pétion-ville on Sunday.
Police said that Rigaud Claude Clermont, who assigned to the police station of Pétion-ville, was killed in circumstances that have not yet been determined.
Clermont is the fourth police officer killed in the last two weeks. So far 26 police officers have been killed here this year.
The Deputy Spokesman for the Haitian National Police (HNP), Inspector Garry Desrosiers, said the nine people were held based on information provided by the population.
The death of the police officer led to street protests with some of the protestors, armed with sticks and machetes going to the Pétion-ville police station demanding that the nine suspects be handed over to them.
The Mayor of Pétion-ville, Dominique St-Roc, has dismissed allegations that he played a role in the policeman’s death saying that the unfounded accusations were political.
“I heard these rumours. It remains for me to inquire with the authorities of the police station of Pétion-Ville. This will allow me to know whether these are suspected criminals arrested and then released, or whether it is an arrest made during an identity check,” Desrosiers said.
On Monday, Justice Minister Camille Édouard Jr., during a meeting with the police high command and human rights organizations in Petion-Ville said.
“It is inconceivable that gangsters continue to sowing mourning among the population. It is enough that policemen are killed by bandits. There is no question that these criminals operate like they want,” he added.
