PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) – The President of the contested electoral council, Josue Pierre-Louis, is being accused of assault and rape by a 27 year old government secretary. A complaint was filed with the court of prosecutions in Port-au-Prince but police have not yet placed charges on the high-ranking Martelly administration official.

The victim, Danielle Bernadin, says that the CEP president had regularly picked her up and dropped her off from work. On Monday November 26, 2012, Pierre Louis was taking her home when he took a detour. When asked why the change in direction, Pierre Louis said he had a new iPhone and needed her help downloading apps. They two went to Josue Pierre Louis’ private estate in Tabarre where he had an office next to the master bedroom.

In the office, “Danny”, as she is called, began downloading apps when moments later, Josue Pierre Louis walked in with two assault rifles and placed them on the office dresser.

The former Government Commissioner, Director General of the Ministry of Justice, Minister of Justice, Councillor to President Michel Martelly and now President of the contested Permanent Electoral Council, Josue Pierre Louis, savagely beat the 27 year old graduate of the State University of Haiti while demanding to see her phone, which may have held sensitive government information or nude photos of Pierre Louis.

Danielle Bernadin works at the Ministry of the Interior, a position arranged by Pierre Louis, not at the offices of the electoral council. Danny says she screamed for the security or someone to help her by no one came. She says that Josue Pierre Louis ultimately raped her after beating her.

Josue Pierre Louis has obtained the same lawyer representing former President-for-Life Jean Claude Duvalier from his corruption case and Sophia and Olivier Martelly from charges of embezzlement, Lawyer Reynold Georges.

The defense, according to early declarations by Georeges, is based on describing the nature of the relationship between the CEP chief and this young secretary as “passionate”, with her actions being that of a woman scorned and engaged in espionage.

The National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (RNDDH) condemned the act of violence and its spokeswoman, Yolene Gilles, said whether the two had a relationship or not, it is still a crime to imprison, beat and rape someone.

Part of the Pierre Louis defense is their claim that Josue Pierre Louis had filed a complaint against Bernadin for accessing the personal or classified information of Josue Pierre Louis. Yolene Gilles throughout plausibility in this alibi by asking ‘why would Pierre Louis file charges against the woman on Friday and then be giving her a ride home on Monday?’ Furthermore, the RNDDH spokeswoman says they visited the commissioners office on Saturday and demanded to see a complaint and searched to exhaust to no avail.

The Solidarity for Haitian Women Organization (SOFA) delivered a match report as the RNDDH. Olga Benoit, President of SOFA said that whether there is a sexual relationship or not is not the question of the case.

No one at Pierre Louis’ home that night helped Danielle Bernadin. She says she walked out with her clothes and shoes in her arms and walked until a man on a motorcycle gave her a ride home.