KISMAYO (Kaab TV) – A judge in Somalia’s Jubaland State has issued an arrest warrant against Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, citing serious charges that include human rights violations, corruption, and collaboration with the terrorist group Al-Shabaab.
The warrant, signed on Wednesday by Dr. Muse Osman Gedi, a judge of the Kismayo Court of First Instance, was issued following a case filed by the Attorney General of the regional state.
The judge has ordered the police to arrest President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and bring him before the court.
The charges outlined in the warrant include violations of constitutional articles, undermining national unity, aiding and abetting the country’s enemies, collaborating with Al-Shabaab terror group, trafficking illicit weapons, unlawful killings of civilians, including members of minority communities, embezzlement of public funds, land grabbing targeting vulnerable families, orchestrating civil war and crimes against humanity, and inciting armed revolts to destabilize the constitutional order.
The Kismayo-based court has instructed law enforcement to arrest Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who currently serves as the President of the Federal Government of Somalia.
If enforced, this unprecedented warrant could lead to the President’s arrest anywhere in the country, with the potential for him to be handed over to the regional court.
Under Somali law, if found guilty, the charges could carry severe penalties, including a long-term prison sentence or even the death penalty.
Jubaland State, a longstanding rival of the Somali Federal Government, has been embroiled in intense disputes with the central government, particularly over the recent re-election of Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madobe) on Monday.
The arrest warrant was issued just hours after a group of Somali lawmakers filed a groundbreaking lawsuit at the European Court of Human Rights against President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The lawsuit alleges their involvement in the unlawful deportation of Somali migrants, including individuals fleeing severe human rights violations, who are currently seeking asylum in Germany.
The case, filed on Tuesday, accuses the Somali president of accepting bribes and engaging in misconduct to facilitate the deportation of vulnerable individuals.