Ouanaminthe officials held in custody pending massive corruption probe

OUANAMINTHE, Haiti — Four government officials arrested on alleged corruption—including the current director of the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communications and a former mayor—were ordered to remain in custody while an investigating judge takes up the probe.

“Corruption is eating away at our society, and it is crucial that we put an end to it,” said Joseph Limage, a resident advocating against impunity at the Fort-Liberté court. “If the accused are guilty, this case must serve as a precedent to restore public trust in state institutions.”

The four officials arrested Sept. 16 are accused of embezzlement, abuse of office, forgery and money laundering. They are:

• Teressa Orderlyne Alténor, current departmental director of the Ministry of Public Works (MTPTC), accused of using a false identity to secure her position and of embezzling 3 million gourdes or over $23,000. Investigators say she falsified documents, including a national ID card, to falsely identify herself.
• Démétrius Luma, former mayor of Ouanaminthe, accused of favoritism, influence peddling, and misappropriation of funds for personal gain.
• Jose Laguerre, former director of the border market, accused of embezzling public revenues and laundering money, allegedly sharing illicit proceeds with Demetrius.
• Quénox Célicourt, former director of the municipal market, accused of diverting collected fees and remitting only a fraction to the municipal accountant.

The arrests came after the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) completed its investigation and referred the case to prosecutors, who requested judicial action. The officials were then brought before Government Commissioner Charles Édouard Durand at the Court of First Instance in Fort-Liberté on Sept. 17. 

Judicial path and defense concerns amid ULCC’s broader struggles

As they are held in custody, the investigating judge will determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.

Defense lawyers, however, have criticized the process. Attorney Rodeney Rivière and Samuel Lamour called the arrests “judicial kidnapping,” insisting that “only an investigating judge has the power to order detention.” They and other lawyers argue that while the ULCC can investigate, it cannot directly initiate arrests—a tension that has long dogged Haiti’s anti-corruption framework. 

Anti-corruption advocates insist the case must move forward, echoing Limage—who was at the court during the hearing.

The ULCC, created in 2004, has long complained that its investigations stall once cases reach the judiciary. Although it has referred nearly 90 reports to prosecutors in the past two decades, only two cases have resulted in convictions. Critics cite political interference, weak prosecutorial follow-through and chronic underfunding.

This systemic failure has fueled public distrust and allowed corruption to flourish. Haiti routinely ranks among the world’s most corrupt states in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.

The Ouanaminthe arrests are being closely watched to see if the judiciary can break that cycle. If the investigating judge pursues the case vigorously, analysts say it could mark a turning point in restoring public trust in state institutions.

However, if the case stalls, as many before it have, the arrests may only deepen skepticism that Haiti’s fight against corruption is more about political posturing than genuine accountability.

If convicted, under Haiti’s 2014 anti-corruption law, the crimes are punishable by three to 15 years in prison.