Haiti: Former CAS Director Edwine Tonton and Ex-Accountant Referred to Criminal Court

Investigating judge orders criminal trial

An investigating judge in Port-au-Prince has ordered the referral of former Director General of the Caisse d’Assistance Sociale (CAS), Edwine Tonton, and former accountant Pierre Richard Valès to the criminal court.

In his ruling issued on March 9, 2026, Judge Jeudilien Fanfan determined that sufficient evidence exists to justify a trial without a jury, under Haiti’s criminal procedure framework.

Allegations of corruption and illicit enrichment

According to the judicial order, Edwine Tonton faces charges including:

• Illegal taking of interests

• Illicit enrichment

These charges are based on Haiti’s anti-corruption law of March 12, 2014.

The judge alleges that Tonton held interests in two companies — PROMASA and DELMAX DISTRIBUTION — which reportedly secured public contracts to supply electronic equipment and office materials to state institutions.

These contracts are said to involve the Ministry of Interior and Territorial Communities (MICT) and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI).

Abuse of trust and misappropriation claims

The ruling also cites evidence suggesting abuse of trust involving the organization OCHAN-HAITI.

Investigators allege that a subsidy check issued by the CAS to the organization was misappropriated by the former director.

The case is part of a broader investigation into alleged financial misconduct causing harm to the Haitian state.

Multiple defendants referred in the case

In addition to Tonton and Valès, several other individuals have been referred to criminal court, including:

• Dominique Hector Bernardin

• Mission Saint-Jules

• Djennie Pierre Archile

They face charges such as:

• Abuse of trust

• Complicity in abuse of trust

• Forgery and use of forged documents

• Criminal association

Previous provisional release does not halt proceedings

Although Edwine Tonton and Pierre Richard Valès were granted provisional release on humanitarian grounds by the Court of Appeal on August 21, 2024, the legal proceedings have continued.

That decision had raised significant public concern at the time, but the latest ruling confirms that both individuals remain subject to prosecution.

Some defendants cleared of charges

The judge also ruled to dismiss charges against certain individuals initially implicated in the case, including former Minister of Social Affairs Pierre Ricot Odney.

Due process observed in investigation

The judicial order notes that all parties involved were given the opportunity to present their observations and arguments following the submission of the investigative report.

The case now moves to the criminal court stage, where the accused will have to respond to the charges in full.

Ronald André