Overview:
The Mayor of Milot, Wesner Joseph, was in police custody for questioning over the deadly crowd surge at Citadelle Laferrière in his town for three days— prompting residents of the commune to protest his detention.
CAP-HAÏTIEN — Wesner Joseph, the mayor of Milot, was in police custody Wednesday in the ongoing investigation into the deadly crowd surge at Citadelle Lafferière in his town over the weekend. His detention of three days, so far, prompted a protest demanding his release by townspeople who believe he is being scapegoated.
“They’re interviewing authorities in Milot, he’s the mayor so of course they’re going to interrogate him too,” Joseph’s attorney, Plauguste Carcéus told The Haitian Times.
“But after the interrogation, they must release him,” he said.
Joseph has been detained since April 13, two days after the stampede that left more than 25 people dead, at the police station in Cap-Haïtien, the capital of the Northern Department to which Milot belongs. His cell is extremely unsanitary, sources at the police station said, causing Joseph great distress.
Suspecting that he may be blamed for the party that turned into a national tragedy, some residents of Milot burned tires in the streets Tuesday to demand his release.
It is unknown when the interrogation will end.
A flyer announcing a protest to demand the release of pictured Milot Mayor Wesner Joseph reads “Nou pap pran nan konplo sa! Nou mande liberasyon Majistra Wesner Joseph” In English, “We won’t be fooled by this conspiracy! We demand the release of Mayor Wesner Joseph.”
Photos of party bracelets with “Milot’s Mayor’s Office 2026” written on them went viral after news of the stampede broke, suggesting that the small commune’s had given permission for the party. However, Carcéus said, Milot officials did not give anyone permission to hold events that fateful day and therefore should not be held accountable. Carcéus said the Haitian Institute for the Protection of National Heritage — known by its French acronym ISPAN — is the institution in charge authorizing events at Citadelle.
“Citadelle Vibes 3.0,” as the party was dubbed, is a youth event promoted by social media influencer Dope Fresh that drew the most visitors. However, numerous visitors were part of school and church trips, a common excursion in April, were also there in part to mark the Citadelle’s anniversary on April 12.
About 3,000 people ended up at the UNESCO world heritage site the day of the tragedy, authorities said.
A bracelet allegedly given to visitors of Citadelle Laferrière on April 11, 2026. It reads “Mairie de Milot 2026,” French for Milot’s Town Hall 2026.
ISPAN has yet to reply to The Haitian Times’ messages seeking comments.
Others arrested and minister of culture resignation
In addition to Joseph being detained, police arrested five security agents at the Mayor’s office and two ISPAN employees Monday. Police identified the security guards as Jhon ‘Misyon’ Coxllee, Genovè Octavien, Altidor Arly, Louis Max Andy and Césaire Wilner Billy. The two ISPAN employees were identified as Wilfrid César and Valmyr Tchelin.
“We had to bring everyone involved into custody so they could eventually be held accountable,” Cap-Haïtien’s City Attorney Eno Zéphyrin told The Haitian Times.
To add to the arrests, Jean Garry Denis, the head of the Ministry of Culture and Communication, sent a resignation letter to Alix Fils-Aimé. Denis did not state he resigned due to the Citadelle incident but did mention the lack of “protection for cultural properties” as a reason.
Denis will leave office by May 1, according to his letter.
The crowd surge reportedly started when town hall security agents shut one of the site’s two doors to collect the entry fee money. Visitors who stood outside attempted to force their way in when it started raining. Police officers or town hall security agents fired gunshots into the air then threw tear gas. Some died of asphyxiation, others from the scramble.
Haiti is currently observing a three-day mourning, which started on April 14.
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