Somalia Attorney General Turned Himself into a Political Tool

[Deeq A.]

Roble did not suspend the Petroleum Minister who signed an illegal production sharing agreement with Coastline Exploration.

The nascent Somali judiciary has been the victim of year-long political uncertainty following the controversial extension of the mandate of former Somalia President. The Office the Attorney General bore the brunt of creeping misuse of political power. It has shown that it woefully lacks the independence to prevent itself from being subjected to political manipulation by the executive branch.

The Office of State Attorney General resolved to briefly investigate the production sharing agreement signed by the Petroleum Minister Abdirashid M. Ahmed with Coastline Exploration. The Minister signed an illegal agreement that shortchanges Somalia. He ignored the presidential moratorium on signing agreements during the transition.

The State Attorney General, Suleyman, gave in to political manipulation to protect the Petroleum Minister against prosecution.

Prime Minister of Somalia Mohamed Hussein Roble nullified the agreement but did not suspend the Petroleum Minister whom he sees as a political weapon again (former) President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed.

Shameless: The Petroleum Minister managed to congratulate President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on being elected President.

The Petroleum Minister is accountable to Roble whose decision to protect Abdirashid against prosecution is becoming clearer. According to the Financial Governance Report 2022 the Attorney General Suleyman Mohamed Mohamud was helping the federal government to circumvent procurement and contract rules to award non-competitive contracts.

The logo of the Office of State Attorney General.

The Attorney General is now investigating the “charcoal case” that resulted in the suspension of the Somalia Foreign Minister Abdisaid Muse Ali who has been accused of authorising a charcoal ship “stranded in Oman”.

Investigations into both cases have been triggered by correspondence from the Office of the Prime Minister to the Attorney General. A minister accused of violating charcoal sanctions has been suspended whereas a minister who betrayed his country by signing an illegal production sharing has managed to send a congratulatory message to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Abdisaid Muse Ali is being investigated by the compromised Office of the State Attorney General.

The only valid explanation for protecting the Petroleum Minister is the shared clan affiliation with Roble and President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The Attorney General hails from North Galka’yo and is a politically vulnerable creature who has been persuaded to become subservient to a clique that is damaging Somalia’s national interest. A total overhaul of the federal judiciary is long overdue.

O. D. Hassan

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