[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
#1158: SWISS COURT LIFTS BLOCKAGE OF DUVALIER SECRETARY'S BANK ACCOUNT (fwd)
From: Greg Chamberlain <GregChamberlain@compuserve.com>
Lausanne, Nov 30 (EFE) -- Switzerland's Federal Court ruled Tuesday that
a former secretary to Haiti's deposed leader Jean Claude Duvalier could
have access to two bank accounts which have been blocked since 1986.
In its ruling, the court denied an appeal by the Federal Police Office
which sought to continue the blockage.
The name of the former secretary was not released, nor the amount of
money in the accounts.
According to judicial sources, the court made the ruling because it had
not received any response from the Haitian government to his requests for
information on outstanding cases against Duvalier and his inner circle.
Haiti has not even told the Federal Court if the cases remain open.
They involve capital flight and date back to 1986 when Duvalier was forced
to step down and fled to exile in France following a popular uprising.
The only information the court had was the decision in 1993 by a
Haitian judge that the secretary could recover his property.
The funds are in accounts in two Zurish banks and the Federal Police
Office said there are no other such accounts belonging to either Duvalier
or his cronies.