Somalia: New Chief Justice takes oath of office

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The newly appointed Somalia's Chief Justice, Bashe Yusuf Ahmed took the oath of office in an event held in Mogadishu on Saturday, June 3 amid public outcry over his Legal work experience, Garowe Online reports.

The Minister for Justice of Federal Government Hassan Hussein Hajji, Attorney General Ahmed Ali Dahir, and other government officials have attended the oath-taking ceremony.

Ahmed succeeds Ibrahim Idle Suleiman, who has been sacked by Somali President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo last week as part of what he described as a plan to reform the Horn of Africa nation’s judiciary.

The appointment of the little-known Bashe Yusuf Ahmed, 36, was promptly mixed reactions with some criticizing President Farmajo for picking former NGO worker as the new chairman of the Supreme Court.

According to a statement released by the Office of the President last Sunday, May 27, Farmajo fired Suleiman following a public complaint about judicial decisions and corruption allegations in the judicial system.

The immediate former Chief Justice has been in office since May 2016, replacing Aided Ilkahanaf who was sacked by ex-president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud over age-related reasons after five years in power.

For judicial reform, the President has Federal lawmakers speed up the formation of a new judicial services commission to fill the vacuum and replace the one that was dissolved by Mohamud in March 2015.

Since he came to power in February 2017, Farmajo has been promising for changes in the country's vital institutions, including the judiciary which has been plagued with corruption, nepotism, and bribery.

GAROWE ONLINE