Washington, 3 décembre 2025.- La justice américaine a condamné, ce mercredi 3 décembre, Germine Joly, alias « Yonyon « , ancien chef du gang haïtien 400 Mawozo, à la réclusion criminelle à perpétuité sans possibilité de libération conditionnelle. Il écope également d’une amende de 1 700 dollars.
Germine Joly, 34 years old, was convicted of his central role in the abduction of 17 foreign missionaries, including 16 American citizens, at Croix-des-Bouquets in October 2021. According to the US judicial authorities, he had orchestrated this abduction from his cell, where he was already serving a sentence following a previous conviction.
In 2024, Germine Joly had been convicted of illegal trafficking in arms and money-laundering, activities which had fueled the violence of armed gangs in Haiti. The kidnapping of the missionaries had aroused a strong international emotion and led to a significant diplomatic mobilization.
The 17 hostages were finally released after paying a ransom estimated at $350,000, ending one of the most publicized kidnappings attributed to the 400 Mawozo gang.
This conviction marks a major judicial step in the struggle of the United States against transnational criminal networks operating from Haiti.
W.E.
