AFTER years of chaos in the diocese of Haiti, including arrests of senior clergy and lay people in connection with alleged arms-dealing, the diocese has broken its silence to call for a full investigation and the release of churchpeople from custody.

The diocese is the largest in membership in the US Episcopal Church, but has been without a bishop for more than seven years, after accusations that the outgoing bishop was attempting to manipulate the election of his successor. The disputed election led the diocese into chaos and factionalism.

Then, in 2022, several senior figures in the diocese were arrested on arms-trafficking charges. One of those accused, a Zimbabwean national, Vundla Sikhumbuzo, went on the run for seven years, but was arrested last week by the Haitian national police, the Haitian French language daily Le Nouvelliste reports. He was wanted in connection with the trafficking of firearms and the attempted murder of his wife, the police said.

On Easter Monday, the paper published a diocesan statement that several priests and lay people remained in detention, despite judicial opinions confirming their innocence.

Without naming Mr Sikhumbuzo, who had been employed by the diocese as chief of operations, it said: “The relationship that the priests and laypersons maintained with an individual involved in this case — who had previously collaborated with the Church and sold his services to certain foreign partners supporting diocesan institutions — cannot attribute any criminal liability to the leaders of the institution.

“Thus, it is made known to all that the Episcopal Church of Haiti, its priests, and its lay members are the main victims of this criminal network, formally deny any involvement in the alleged acts.”

In its statement, the diocese asks the judicial authorities to act “with all due diligence” to put an end to what it describes as unjustified detention. “The truth must prevail. Justice must be done. The innocent must be released,” the statement concludes.

The US Episcopal Church, to which the diocese belongs, said that it had set up a new committee devoted to Haiti to offer support to Episcopal schools and other ministries.

Although there is no timeline for the election of a new diocesan bishop, the committee is seeking to rebuild relations with diocesan leaders. It has recently sent 1500 French-language prayer books to Haiti, in a response to a request from the diocesan standing committee.