Somalia: Former Galkayo Deputy Mayor appears in Puntland court
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- Posted On 11-07-2016, 07:38PM
GAROWE, Somalia-Former Deputy Mayor of Galkayo city Yaqub Mohamed Abdale has been arraigned in Nugal’s first degree court on Sunday on charges of defamation, GaroweOnline reports.
Regional prosecutor has accused Abdale of insulting the President during a news conference widely covered by the members of media last week.
The court heard the oral argument in which Abdale’s lawyers subdued defamation suit filed against the defendant as “extremely natural”.
Lawyers said, Abdale expressed his views in the confines of free speech.
Seated vis-à-vis the dock, journalists were listening to the proceedings adjourned until Tuesday.
The case is the first that names Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali as plaintiff since the state’s inception in 1998.
Former Deputy Mayor of Galkayo criticized Puntland President for opting for cronyisms and naked tribalism in the appointment of state officials.
The dissolution by Ali of Galkayo city council stirred discontents among clans in Galkayo’s vast north earlier in July.
GAROWEONLINE
