Somalia’s ousted Supreme Court Chief Justice Baashe Yusuf Ahmed has called on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to withdraw 300 soldiers deployed around the country’s highest court, accusing the government of intimidating judicial officials amid an escalating constitutional dispute.
He was addressing the media at a news conference in Mogadishu on Saturday.
Ahmed challenged his removal from office, insisting that his position was not the issue but the legality of the government’s actions and the independence of the judiciary.
“I am not defending my position; I am defending the law,” Ahmed said, demanding that the president withdraw the soldiers stationed around the Supreme Court.
He said the government had deployed approximately 300 security personnel and 30 military vehicles around the court, involving members of the military, police, intelligence services and prison authorities.
Ahmed described the security presence as a threat to judicial independence and said he no longer felt safe in the capital.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud earlier announced his removal and appointed former chief justice Ibrahim Idle Suleiman as his replacement.
The Supreme Court subsequently rejected the dismissal, declaring it null and void and arguing that the president lacked the constitutional authority to unilaterally remove the chief justice.
The confrontation intensified after the court ruled that Mohamud’s one-year extension in office was unlawful, saying the constitutional amendments extending presidential and parliamentary terms from four to five years could not be applied to the current officeholders.
The court directed political leaders to reach an agreement on an election framework within 30 days and called for elections to be held within 90 days.
Ahmed accused the government of attempting to interfere with judicial proceedings, maintaining that the removal of a chief justice must follow constitutional procedures involving the Judicial Service Commission and parliament.
The presidency had cited concerns over judicial administration and the need for a more efficient and fair justice system when announcing his dismissal.
Ahmed Jamal, Horn of Africa analyst said the standoff has raised concerns about the separation of powers in Somalia.
“The dispute has now extended beyond the tenure of the chief justice to the constitutional legitimacy of the federal leadership and the country’s electoral process,” he said.
