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Haiti Fugitive Clifford Brandt captured at Dominican border
by The Sentinel
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (sentinel.ht) - The infamous leader of
a powerful kidnapping-murder syndicate, Clifford Brandt, was
captured attempting to cross into the Dominican Republic at
the border town of Cornillon/Grand Bois.
Initial information received by The
Sentinel said that Brandt was captured by Dominican
authorities and is now in the custody of Haitian police.
According to the Haiti Press Network,
the Chief of Haitian Police in Conillon-Grand Bois, Ralmon
Cetoute, who headed the retrieval operation, was relieved of
his duties afterwards. The defacto-Minister of Justice Jean
Renel Sanon confirmed the dismissal of Cetoute.
On Sunday, The Sentinel reported from
sources that Clifford Brandt had possibly already entered
the Dominican Republic en route to Jamaica.
On Monday, the Dominican Republic
Defense Minister Sigfrido Pared announced heightened alerts
at border crossings following the Sunday break out of nearly
350 prisoners, including Brandt, from the
Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti penitentiary. Haitian law
enforcement sent pictures of escapees to police and border
agencies in the Dominican Republic, also on Monday.
The Brandt arrest, case and shadowy
release continues to stir discussion surrounding the long
friendship between President Michel Martelly and the
businessman of the wealthy Brandt family.
Upon his arrest, Brandt was found with National Palace
identification naming him as adviser to the president. It
was reported that in his testimony to police, Clifford
Brandt, said the #2 of his gang was the head of National
Palace security, the #6, President Michel Martelly's son,
Olivier. |
