High Court judges in Galmudug dismiss verdict on state president

Judges in Galmudug High Court have distanced themselves from Tuesday’s ruling which affirmed the dismissal of state president Ahmed Haaf and his deputy Mohamed Haashi Arabay noting they did not take part in the court process.

Deputy Chairman of the court Abdikadir Mohamed Elmi told Goobjoog News the verdict delivered by the court chairman Yahye Sheikh Mohamed was a unilateral decision and did not involve him nor the rest of the judges.

“I hereby state clearly as the deputy chairman of the high court I have no information of the chairman’s ruling. It is false, and full of allegations.”

Mohamed delivered his verdict on a mobile court Tuesday upholding the decision of two factions of the state assembly to dismiss the president, deputy president, state assembly speaker and his first deputy observing that the process was within the law.

The deputy chair of the court said the signature appearing on the document was a forgery and did not represent him. “I have with me a document with my signature from Galmudug High Court and I clearly say that I have no knowledge of this document neither did I take part in writing it.”

Another judge, Sheikh Mohamed Guled Keynan also rubbished the ruling as null and void and that he also did not participate. “I want to speak of the false document written by chairperson Yahye which has my name on it regarding the announcement of court’s decision. It is null and void and full of lies.”

Meanwhile the embattled president Ahmed Haaf has also tore into the ruling adding a new twist into the saga. Speaking to the media Tuesday evening, Haaf said a high court in the first place does not exist in Galmudug.

“There has never been any high court in Galmudug and it is not there,” said Haaf.

There have been reports that Mohamed fled into Puntland after delivering the verdict but Goobjoog News cannot independently verify.