Former director of Haiti’s Central Bank slain
Mar 7, 2012, 3:33 PM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – A prominent Haitian banker whose son recently pleaded guilty in a U.S. federal bribery case has been killed in the capital of Port-au-Prince, police said Wednesday.
Venel Joseph was fatally shot late Tuesday while at the wheel of his car, according to police spokesman Gary Desrosiers. He said no one has been arrested and that authorities have no further details.
Joseph was director of Haiti’s Central Bank during former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide’s second term from 2001 to 2004. His son, Patrick Joseph, pleaded guilty to bribery in a U.S. federal court last month and agreed to testify against others accused of receiving kickbacks to obtain cheaper phone rates from Teleco, Haiti’s telecommunications company, owned by Haiti’s Central Bank.
Patrick Joseph once served as Teleco’s director.
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