Amaral Duclona - Haiti Observer Blog

Discharged completely from accusation on Friday, February 12, 2016 by French Justice, former gang leader Amaral Duclona wil be coming soon to Haiti. As you may remember, he was accused for several criminal acts committed in 2004 during the period of Operation Bagdad. These crimes include kidnapping and killing of businessman Claude Bernard Lauture in 2004 in Port-au-Prince, kidnapping and killing of the French Honorary consul, Paul-Henri Moural in Cap-Haitian in May 2005, and other criminal acts. French justice acquitted Amaral Duclona as it was unable to get some of the key Haitian witnesses to testify against him

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Claude Bernard Lauture, a Franco-Haitian entrepreneur, suffered kidnapping and sequestration, before finally being killed in 2004 in Port-au-Prince. The man thought to be responsible for his death is a 34-year old Haitian gang leader called Amaral Duclona, also known as Berthone Jolicoeur. Back then, Amaral was the leader of chiremes, and made several claims that he was working with Aristide in Cite Soleil.

On January 6, 2014, a group of armed men kidnapped Claude Bernard. Later, Claude was heard on a telephone call saying that the kidnappers wanted a ransom of $100,000 to be paid, upon which they would release him. Nobody paid the ransom, and Claude was never released. A day later, on 7 January 2014, Claude's bullet-riddled body was found in Cite Soleil.

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According to Haitian newspaper Haiti Observateur, Haitian businessman Clifford Brandt who is currently jailed for his involvement in the kidnapping of two Moscosso children, made revelations that are disturbing to the current presidential family as well as some other influential members of the Haitian society.

The newspaper cited U.S. officials who participated in the interrogation of Clifford Brandt and also French authorities who have been investigating another gang leader Amaral Duclona.

According to Haiti Observateur Clifford Brandt he is not the leader of the gang. He claims that he is number 5 down in the Kidnapping network. Above him comes directly Olivier Martelly who is number 6. Mr. Olivier Martelly is one of the sons of the current Haitian President Michel Martelly. It was further declared that the wife of the President was a direct beneficiary of Clifford Brandt kidnapping network. This comes in direct contributions of Clifford Brandt to help fund their various projects.

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