arrests

“I must make it very clear here that no one is above the law,” Commissioner Mostyn Mangau said.

Mr Mangau added “We are expected to live and make decisions within the principles of the rule of law regardless of our positions in our society. I therefore forewarned that if anybody is found in breach of such illegal activities, Police will not hesitate to arrest and deal with him/her.”

Moïse, 53, was fatally shot early on Wednesday (local time) at his home by what officials said was a group of foreign, trained killers, pitching the poorest country in the Americas deeper into turmoil amid political divisions, hunger and widespread gang violence.

Colombian Defence Minister Diego Molano said initial findings indicated that Colombians suspected of taking part in the assassination were ex-members of his country's armed forces, and pledged to support the investigations in Haiti.

Two of them have been charged, with one of them admitting to setting two fires to the conveyor belt which feeds ore to the coast for shipping to the SLN smelter in Noumea

The third suspect has been transferred to prison after he had been given a jail term of 18 months in June.

The arrests came only days after 15 trucks were destroyed in Kouaoua.

Earlier police had removed a blockade of the mining site which has been the scene of protracted disputes this year with a group opposed to expanded mining.

A police source said the three men were arrested at 4am this morning from a house in Cimanggis, Depok.

"They were sleeping when we arrived there," the police officer said. 

He said police seized two bags and some books but they were not analysed right away as it was still dark.