Police arrest suspected mastermind in Haiti president murder

National Police Chief Leon Charles said the arrested man, 63-year-old Christian Emmanuel Sanon flew to Haiti on a private jet in early June, accompanied by hired security guards and wanted to take over as president.

The suspected killers called him after the attack and evidence was found in his flat, Mr Charles said.

The 63-year-old doctor recently arrived in Haiti on a private plane to seize the presidency, he said.

He allegedly hired Colombian mercenaries through a private Venezuelan security firm based in Florida.

The doctor is the third U.S. resident of Haitian origin – and the 21st person overall – to be detained as a suspect in the case.

The other two also reportedly lived in Florida.

The U.S. state is some 1,000 kilometres away from Haiti.

Police have arrested 18 Colombians and 3 Haitian Americans, including Sanon, over the murder, Charles said.

Five Colombians are still at large and three were killed, he added.

Haitian President Moise was shot dead early on Wednesday at his Port-au-Prince home by what Haitian authorities describe as a unit of assassins formed of 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans, plunging the troubled Caribbean nation deeper into turmoil.