The former interior minister under ex-president Jean Bertrand Aristide, Jocelerme Privert, was arrested on Tuesday in Port-au-Prince and taken to prison, a police spokesperson said.
The former minister was arrested in the early hours at his home, police Commissioner Max Isaac said.
He said Privert first tried to flee but then cooperated with authorities and was detained and a large amount of evidence was seized at the home.
Privert was wanted in connection with a massacre in the town of Saint Marc in February by forces loyal to Aristide, including elements of the police, in a group called ”Balai Rouze”. The National Coalition for Haitians’ Human Rights says the massacre from February 11 to 13 claimed about 50 lives.
The interim Haitian government has accused the Aristide regime of plundering the country’s treasury before Aristide fled on February 29 and has said it will seek his extradition. Aristide is currently in Jamaica. — Sapa-AFP