By Ed Aarons, Romain Molina and Alex Cizmic for The Guardian
The suspended vice-president and head of referees at the Haitian Football Federation has denied claims of attempting to arrange the killing of a journalist.
Rosnick Grant, a former international referee who was provisionally suspended from all football-related activities by Fifa’s Ethics Committee in February as it continues to investigate allegations of sexual abuse, was summoned by the local magistrate in Croix-des-Bouquets after a complaint was made against him.
According to court papers seen by the Guardian, he has been accused of trying to arrange the killing of a radio journalist who had been attempting to uncover alleged corruption at the FHF.
Grant, who appeared in court on Monday without a lawyer, has denied the claims and will return next week to discover whether he will face charges.
A letter sent to the local magistrate on 14 June by the journalist’s lawyers sets out the allegations against Grant in detail. He is said to have arranged a meeting with three local gangsters on 2 June at the Rue Falaise in Croix-des-Bouquets, although they refused.Continue reading