Edwyn Coq, Haiti lawyer of the ten American Baptists charged with child abduction and held in Port-au-Prince, has resigned, accused of attempting to bribe the judge to release his client, he said to AFP Sunday.
“Parents of these Americans have not renewed their commitment to my place,” said the lawyer. “Not only they do not pay me anything until now but they can tarnish my reputation by saying that I asked them for money to bribe the judge,” he protested.
Mr. Coq is in charge of the case of the ten Americans since they were arrested January 29 at the Dominican border with 33 children without identity papers.
They were accused Thursday of “kidnapping minors” and “conspiracy”. On Friday, Mr. Haan had filed an application for parole that the judge rejected after lengthy auditioned group.
The lawyer has told AFP that the families of Baptists from Idaho (north-western United States) had agreed to pay her $ 60,000 fee, which some now. He cited a “misunderstanding”.
Mr. Coq regretted not having received any response from families to the email on Saturday, announcing he was abandoning the case.
