Tuesday April 6, 2021
MOGADISHU (HOL) - The Somali government has dropped charges against former Jubbaland security minister who the UN accuses of murder and torture.
In a letter dated March 23, Banaadir Regional Court said all charges against the embattled former minister had been dropped immediately.
The termination of the charges follows a request by Attorney General Suleyman Mohamud.
The AG told the court on March 22 that he was no longer pursuing any charges against Janan, who is now in the hands of the federal government.
Two ministers received Janan on March 25 in BeletHawo, a day after the Banaadir court order. Janan escaped custody in Mogadishu in January 2020 and was declared a fugitive by the Somali Police Force, which also sought Interpol’s help to arrest him.
The withdrawal of charges against Janan deals a significant blow to calls by the UN and the rights group Amnesty International to prosecute him.
The UN Monitoring Group blamed Janan for torture, murder and gross violations of human rights between 2014 and 2017.
Janan was a district commissioner in the Gedo region before being appointed by Jubbaland President Ahmed Madobe to head the security docket.
The move also affirms the Federal Government’s intent on using Janan to square off with Madobe, who Mogadishu sees as a key political enemy.
EU ambassador to Somalia Nicolas Berlanga said the embrace of Janan by the Federal Government was aimed at achieving ‘short term gains’ in violation of the rights of Janan’s victims.