Tuesday February 14, 2012
Justice served in Haiti
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Haitian police await a verdict at a trial in Les Cayes, Haiti/AP Photo Phildor Jean Pierre Raynaud |
Late last year we told you about an extraordinary trial taking place in Les Cayes, Haiti.
In a makeshift courtroom, 14 police officers faced charges in relation to a 2010 prison massacre that occurred after the devastating earthquake the week before.
As we heard from New York Times' reporter Walt Bogdanich, the trial was seen as a watershed by some, given that officials who abuse their power in Haiti are rarely held accountable.
Well, this time, some justice seems to have been served.
Last month, eight of the 14 officers were found guilty.
The judge handed down sentences ranging from two to 13 years of imprisonment and hard labour.
The stiffest sentences were given to the highest-ranking officials.
The court found that the officers opened fire on unarmed inmates who began to riot after the earthquake.
The trial was sparked by a New York Times investigation spearheaded by Bogdanich and fellow reporter Deborah Sontag, who first uncovered the story.
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