(The Indian Ocean News Letter)- Following is part of series of leaked articles pertaining to the political struggle between the president of Djibouti and his rival Abdirahman Boreh.
Update 1 July 2016 Since he broke off in 2009 with his former friend and major contributor to his previous election campaigns Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh, President Ismail Omar Guelleh (IOG) has constantly tried to bring him to his knees. The Djibouti government took legal proceedings against him in the United Kingdom for corruption and in several other countries. In an effort to criminalise Boreh, who was moving closer to the opposition in exile, the Djibouti courts condemned him in absentia for incitement to terrorism in 2010. Boreh then seemed to have been caught in the net, but IOG had his first setback when he was unable to have him extradited and when Interpol removed his name from its
red list.
The UK courts have now humiliated IOG: On 17 June, the English Court of Appeal rejected the appeal lodged by President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh against the decision by Justice Julian Martin Flaux. On 2 March, Mr Justice Flaux rejected all the charges against the businessman turned dissident Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh at the court in London. Justice Flaux went so far as to provoke IOG, describing Boreh as a "patriot" wanting to "improve his country". In this special report, The Indian Ocean Newsletter details the very significant steps in the trial of strength between IOG and Boreh which has finally reached its conclusion. We have reported on the meanders of this case step by step, often exclusively.
DP World and Boreh take action against Ismail Omer Guelleh
Could Djibouti’s judicial failures in the trial it brought against the businessman Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh lead to it defaulting on payments? On 2 March, Djibouti lost its case in the London High Court, in which it claimed there had been embezzlement in the award of the Doraleh Container Terminal concession to DP World. The Dubai port operator has now decided to file a complaint for libel against the Djibouti State and to demand damages that could reach several hundred million dollars. President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh already has to face a very hefty bill, having already paid $65 million in lawyers’ fees. At the hearing in the London High Court on 28 April, Justice Julian Martin Flaux ordered Djibouti to pay Boreh’s legal fees (amounting to $13.48 million) augmented by $4.37 million. Furthermore, Djibouti accepted to relinquish proceedings dating from 2013, paying Boreh in the process the sum of $870,000 plus $236,000 interest plus an augmentation of $290,000.
Boreh trial failure costs IOG $65 million After taking the businessman turned dissident Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh to court in several countries around the world, costing Djibouti some $65 million, the British judge, Justice Julian Martin Flaux dismissed all counts against Boreh in the London High Court on 2 March. Julian Martin Flaux did not hesitate to criticise the fact that the case was conducted by State Inspector General Hassan Issa Sultan and the Head of State, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, rather than lawyers in London. Moreover, he sanctioned the fact that “the cynical approach to litigation is indicative of the political motivation which Mr Boreh contends lies behind this litigation.” This decision did not prevent Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh from making a political point, stating that this victory was valid for all Djiboutians victims of arbitrary imprisonment and torture.
Dileita Mohamed Dileita, the man who tipped the balance in the Boreh trial How will Djibouti’s former Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita be greeted by the government when he gets back from the Dakar International on Peace and Security in Africa on 9 and 10 November? On 29 October, he was given a rough time when he was a key witness in the London High Court in the case Djibouti brought against the businessmancomedissident Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh. Answering questions from the counsel for the defence, Richard Waller, Dileita Mohamed Dileita admitted that he had had lunch with the defendant at the Marriot Hotel in Dubai in 2007. He was embarrassed in front of the British judge Julian Martin Flaux, when he detailed the political content of his discussion with Abdourahman Boreh. Cornered in the Court, he admitted he had told President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh that Boreh had presidential ambitions and that he was against amending the constitution to allow IOG to run for a third term in 2011 (click here). Not long afterwards, Boreh was pushed into resigning as chairman of the Djibouti Port & Free Zone Authority (DPFZA) and his troubles began.
The second key witness Zeinab Kamil Ali The former managing director of Autorité des ports et des zones franches (APZF, Stateowned) was dismissed in September 2014 by the organisation’s chairman, Aboubaker Omar Hadi. Not only had she worked with Abdourahman Boreh and set up the freezone’s regulations, she was also involved in awarding the e Doraleh Container Terminal (DCT) concession to DP World. It is in connection with the award of the DCT concession to the Emirates company that the government has accused Boreh of embezzlement. According to our sources, Zeinab Kamil Ali proved reluctant when the Djibouti authorities asked her to be a witness in the London court case. This staunch defender of women’s rights obtained a Masters of Public Law from Université de Besançon in 2002 while she was already Deputy Director of the ONED (National Water Baord) of Djibout.
More to follow ....
Follow @Medeshi
Update 1 July 2016 Since he broke off in 2009 with his former friend and major contributor to his previous election campaigns Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh, President Ismail Omar Guelleh (IOG) has constantly tried to bring him to his knees. The Djibouti government took legal proceedings against him in the United Kingdom for corruption and in several other countries. In an effort to criminalise Boreh, who was moving closer to the opposition in exile, the Djibouti courts condemned him in absentia for incitement to terrorism in 2010. Boreh then seemed to have been caught in the net, but IOG had his first setback when he was unable to have him extradited and when Interpol removed his name from its
red list.
The UK courts have now humiliated IOG: On 17 June, the English Court of Appeal rejected the appeal lodged by President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh against the decision by Justice Julian Martin Flaux. On 2 March, Mr Justice Flaux rejected all the charges against the businessman turned dissident Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh at the court in London. Justice Flaux went so far as to provoke IOG, describing Boreh as a "patriot" wanting to "improve his country". In this special report, The Indian Ocean Newsletter details the very significant steps in the trial of strength between IOG and Boreh which has finally reached its conclusion. We have reported on the meanders of this case step by step, often exclusively.
DP World and Boreh take action against Ismail Omer Guelleh
Could Djibouti’s judicial failures in the trial it brought against the businessman Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh lead to it defaulting on payments? On 2 March, Djibouti lost its case in the London High Court, in which it claimed there had been embezzlement in the award of the Doraleh Container Terminal concession to DP World. The Dubai port operator has now decided to file a complaint for libel against the Djibouti State and to demand damages that could reach several hundred million dollars. President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh already has to face a very hefty bill, having already paid $65 million in lawyers’ fees. At the hearing in the London High Court on 28 April, Justice Julian Martin Flaux ordered Djibouti to pay Boreh’s legal fees (amounting to $13.48 million) augmented by $4.37 million. Furthermore, Djibouti accepted to relinquish proceedings dating from 2013, paying Boreh in the process the sum of $870,000 plus $236,000 interest plus an augmentation of $290,000.
Boreh trial failure costs IOG $65 million After taking the businessman turned dissident Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh to court in several countries around the world, costing Djibouti some $65 million, the British judge, Justice Julian Martin Flaux dismissed all counts against Boreh in the London High Court on 2 March. Julian Martin Flaux did not hesitate to criticise the fact that the case was conducted by State Inspector General Hassan Issa Sultan and the Head of State, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, rather than lawyers in London. Moreover, he sanctioned the fact that “the cynical approach to litigation is indicative of the political motivation which Mr Boreh contends lies behind this litigation.” This decision did not prevent Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh from making a political point, stating that this victory was valid for all Djiboutians victims of arbitrary imprisonment and torture.
Dileita Mohamed Dileita, the man who tipped the balance in the Boreh trial How will Djibouti’s former Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita be greeted by the government when he gets back from the Dakar International on Peace and Security in Africa on 9 and 10 November? On 29 October, he was given a rough time when he was a key witness in the London High Court in the case Djibouti brought against the businessmancomedissident Abdourahman Mahamoud Boreh. Answering questions from the counsel for the defence, Richard Waller, Dileita Mohamed Dileita admitted that he had had lunch with the defendant at the Marriot Hotel in Dubai in 2007. He was embarrassed in front of the British judge Julian Martin Flaux, when he detailed the political content of his discussion with Abdourahman Boreh. Cornered in the Court, he admitted he had told President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh that Boreh had presidential ambitions and that he was against amending the constitution to allow IOG to run for a third term in 2011 (click here). Not long afterwards, Boreh was pushed into resigning as chairman of the Djibouti Port & Free Zone Authority (DPFZA) and his troubles began.
The second key witness Zeinab Kamil Ali The former managing director of Autorité des ports et des zones franches (APZF, Stateowned) was dismissed in September 2014 by the organisation’s chairman, Aboubaker Omar Hadi. Not only had she worked with Abdourahman Boreh and set up the freezone’s regulations, she was also involved in awarding the e Doraleh Container Terminal (DCT) concession to DP World. It is in connection with the award of the DCT concession to the Emirates company that the government has accused Boreh of embezzlement. According to our sources, Zeinab Kamil Ali proved reluctant when the Djibouti authorities asked her to be a witness in the London court case. This staunch defender of women’s rights obtained a Masters of Public Law from Université de Besançon in 2002 while she was already Deputy Director of the ONED (National Water Baord) of Djibout.
More to follow ....
Follow @Medeshi
