The head of security at the presidential residence of Haiti is in police custody

Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) – The head of security at Haiti’s presidential residence was taken into police custody, according to a close aide, as authorities continue to investigate the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

Dimitri Herard, who is the head of the National Palace’s General Security Unit, had been questioned at the Inspector General’s office on Wednesday and then transferred to a police station in Port-au-Prince, according to associate Carl Martin, who said he coordinates Herard’s legal defense team.

When Herard asked police why he was being detained that night, they told him the decision “came from above,” said Martin, who spoke to Herard Wednesday night. He added that the police took Herard’s weapons and cell phone, and that they had spoken through another police officer’s phone.

The Haitian National Police did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Earlier Wednesday, Herard failed to appear for a judicial inquiry ordered by the Port-au-Prince prosecutor, citing a mandatory appearance at the Inspector General’s office.

“I have the honor to inform you, in response to the invitation that the Port-au-Prince Prosecutor’s Office sent me. I am currently under a precautionary measure ordered by the Inspection General of the Haitian Police. As a result, I am not available to comply with the request of the Public Ministry, ”he said in a letter to the Public Ministry that CNN has seen.

“While I am willing to respond once this protective measure expires, I respectfully request a stay of execution of your office for this purpose, as necessary,” he added.

Martin told CNN that Moïse had a large security detail and that Herard’s unit had several agents, but “he is the only person who is detained in that way.” The chain of command “does not stop at Dimitri,” he added.

Herard hopes “a fair chance for a fair investigation” now that international agencies such as Interpol and the FBI are involved, Martin said, adding: “His position is political. He has many political opponents.”

Martin said police had initially put Herard in “isolation” for a very short period, for security reasons.

Moïse was assassinated last Wednesday during an attack on his private residence, throwing the country into political chaos with multiple figures vying to lead him.

The first lady was also injured in the attack and was taken to a Miami hospital for treatment.

On Wednesday, a statement on the first lady’s verified Twitter account thanked the “guardian angels who helped me through this terrible time.” The message was accompanied by an image that appeared to show her in a hospital bed. CNN has not been able to independently confirm the authenticity of the post.

Authorities say the operation involved at least 26 Colombians, some former members of the Colombian military, hired through a security company in Florida.

Herard, the head of security at the presidential residence, traveled to Ecuador through Bogotá, the Colombian capital, in late May, according to the Colombian National Police. The force said on July 12 that it is investigating whether Herard, while in Colombia, met with any of the Colombian citizens allegedly involved in the murder.

But several people, including relatives of Colombian suspects, told CNN that the accusations against the men do not add up.

Matías Gutiérrez, a retired special forces soldier in Colombia, told CNN on Tuesday that the 26 Colombian suspects were hired to provide security for the president and that the Florida company had approached him for the job.

“They only mentioned a US-based company and a job as private security in Haiti. Security for the president of Haiti, who was believed to be under threat of death,” Gutiérrez said.

“It was all a plot,” he added. “How can you have this type of assassination and not have a single dead, except the president himself? If my colleagues had done the work, they would have had to enter the residence and kill the guards before killing the president. seen a combat scene “.

CNN has repeatedly tried to reach Florida company CTU Security since Saturday. Colombian police say they are working with Interpol to provide information on its owner, a Venezuelan.

Three US citizens have also allegedly been linked to the attack. James Solages and Joseph Vincent, both naturalized US citizens from Haiti, were arrested last week. Meanwhile, on Sunday, police detained Christian Emmanuel Sanon, who is also believed to be a naturalized American citizen, who is accused of orchestrating a complex multinational plan to realize his own political ambitions.

Sanon has repeatedly emphasized that “he knows nothing at all,” according to a source close to the investigation who cannot be named because she is not authorized to discuss the matter. Police have not announced any formal charges against Sanon, and it is not yet clear whether Sanon has hired legal representation to address the charges. CNN was unable to reach him for comment.

Several of the suspects detained by authorities were also working as informants for US law enforcement, with ties to the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), according to people briefed on the matter. In total, at least 39 people have been implicated in the murder so far.

The United States has dispatched high-ranking FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents to assist in the investigation, and the government is still evaluating requests for assistance from the Haitian government, State Department spokesman Ned said Tuesday. Price.