Speaker of House of Reps drops defamation charges against Opposition Official

Hargeisa (Somaliland.com) – The speaker of Somaliland’s House of Representatives dropped his case against the jailed interior secretary of UCID party, Mohamud Ali Suleiman Ramah.

Speaker Bashe Mohamed Farah said he informed the court that he dropped the defamation case he brought against Mohamud Suleiman Ramah. In a press conference at his office today, He revealed that his decision followed a mediation effort undertaken by traditional elders related to UCID’s secretary of the interior. 

The speaker said slander has become commonplace in Somaliland’s politics but he will not tolerate any offenses to his person. On the other hand, he welcomed any criticism of his work as the speaker of the House of Representatives.

Mohamud Ali Suleiman Ramah who arrested last Thursday on charges of defaming the speaker of the House of Representatives. He had accused Bashe Mohamed Farah of having relations with Somaliland’s enemies. 

The opposition parties condemned his arrest and called the charges against him a pretext for the detention of a vocal critic of the government.