United States Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has offered Ksh304 million (USD 2 million) for information that will lead to one of its most wanted criminals hiding in Haiti.
Vitel’Homme Innocent, the gang leader, was accused of kidnapping and killing American missionaries in the country.
According to the FBI, Vitel'Homme leads the notorious Kraze gang that has also been involved in several abductions.
"Vitel’Homme Innocent is charged in the death of an American citizen and alleged involvement in the kidnappings of more than a dozen Americans in Haiti," U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves said on Wednesday.
The agency's Special agent Jeffrey B. Veltri indicated that the wanted criminal would face a death sentence in the United States for murder.
According to a Fox News report, the prosecution accused Innocent of ordering his gang members to kidnap American citizens Jean Franklin and Marie Franklin.
The reports also indicated that Marie Franklin was killed while her husband was held hostage and later released after a ransom was paid.
Other victims abducted by the gang included five children. Some minors managed to escape after two months, and the abductors released others later on.
"We applaud FBI-Miami’s dedication to this case. It is our hope that with the placement on the top ten list, the reward, and the public’s help, Vitel’Homme Innocent will be brought to justice," U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves added.
The monetary award was issued a few hours before Kenya approved the deployment of 1,000 police officers to the gang-dominated country.
Kenya's National Assembly, on Thursday, voted in favour of the motion that was tabled by the Joint Committee of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security and the Senate Standing Committee on National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations.
However, the court in Kenya issued a conservatory order against the deployment. With the case pending in court, the Parliament was accused of disobeying the order, and it is yet to be clear whether MPs will revoke their approval.
National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Sholei, however, argued that MPs were not served with the court petition placing an injunction on the deployment.
