By: Osman A.M.
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – magistrates from Hargeisa regional court have desisted from providing services to any persons forwarded by Quraa-De’eer police station of Hargeisa.
It is exactly not clear what instigated the benchers’ move but what is apparent is that the regional bench is on a go slow mood of operation with regard of conducting criminal trials after Officers Commanding Stations (OCSs) in the city disobeyed numerous court orders directing them to accomplish different tasks falling within their statutory powers coupled with the ruling regime’s failure to propel them to respect Rule of Law.
Memories still linger fresh with last week’s incident that stimulated harsh exchange of words between OCS of Quraa-De’eer & the head of the regional court after the former rubbished court orders requiring him to release henceforth a Businessman held in custody before the full glare of public hence generating harsh verbal exchange between the officials.
The go slow mode of work witnessed in Hargeisa’s courts can be termed as judicial sabotage directed to the Executive arm intended to propel its officers to respect Rule of Law in addition to the failure of accomplishing prior orders issued to OCSs instructing them to arrest criminal suspects that they ignored altogether.
Whatever reasons advanced for the sabotage it cannot be legitimized as it is seen to be paralyzing litigation at the expense of interested parties especially the suspects in police custody.
