Garowe (PP Comment) — The arrest of senior officers of the Puntland Military Court for releasing men suspected of piracy is unprecedented in the 26-year history of the first multi-regional, pro-union administration in Somalia. There was a concern in Puntland that piracy cells could might be plotting to resume kidnapping ships.
The other important aspect of the swift action by Puntland law enforcement agencies against the suspects is that President Said Abdullahi Deni took seriously the appeal of Puntland State Police Commissioner Brigadier General Mumin Abdi Shire, who brought to the government’s attention the state of the prison service in Puntland after men sentenced to jail had been released to commit crimes again. If a convicted person who doesn’t serve a sentence is released without a presidential pardon, it is clear that lawlessness prevails.
The crisis in the justice system of Puntland State (both civil and military) has its roots in the contradictions that emerged after the establishment of a hybrid, traditional-modern system of government, where customary law is deemed to complement the constitution of Puntland and the laws enacted by the Puntland State Government. That is partly why decentralisation has yet to take effect in Puntland despite a commitment to advocating and implementing a federal system throughout the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The rift between the Puntland State Police and the Puntland Security Force accentuates the challenges the new administration faces. General Shire accused the PSF of targeting the Puntland State Police officers. Since the PSF is a legitimate but semi-independent security apparatus, it is unclear if the work of the police is being usurped by PSF operatives or if the rift pertains to an earlier conflict between the Puntland Presidency and the PSF leadership.
In 2021, when the PSF and Puntland State Government forces clashed in Bosaaso, many people lost their lives over what could have been addressed through negotiations. Successive Puntland State Governments have been content with the status of the PSF as a force within and outside the Puntland system. That is how the PSF came into existence in 2002 as the Puntland Intelligence Service (PIS), long before Al-Shabaab and other transnational militant outfits emerged in Somalia.
The hybrid political system does not only limit the constitutional powers of the Puntland State President but also undermines good governance and the administration of justice, leading to the decay of Puntland State institutions. It has already outlived its usefulness.
© Puntland Post, 2024
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