court

EACJ lifts injunction, reinstates Somalia’s nine EALA delegates after months-long dispute NAIROBI, Kenya — The East African Court of Justice has reinstated nine Somali delegates to the East African Legislative Assembly, ending months of suspension tied to allegations that their selection in Mogadishu was flawed and politically influenced. The Arusha-based court on Friday lifted an injunction imposed earlier this year after a group of Somali academics and politicians challenged the delegates’ election. The petitioners alleged…

Galgaduud court hands down death sentence in Guricel businessman killing A regional military court in central Somalia sentenced a 20-year-old man to death on Wednesday for the fatal shooting of a well-known businessman in the town of Guricel two days earlier, court officials said. The Galgaduud regional military court found Abdifitaah Ali Hassan Diiriye guilty in the killing of 37-year-old entrepreneur Deeq Abdi Jama. The verdict was announced by the court’s chairman, Lawyer Hassan Abdullahi Ali. The case centers on…

Somalia stakes a moral claim in The Hague over the right to strike When Somalia’s ambassador stood at the International Court of Justice in The Hague last week, she did more than recite legal positions. Ambassador Khadija Osoble Ali framed a debate about workers’ rights in a country still rebuilding basic institutions after decades of conflict — and, in doing so, offered an argument with implications far beyond Mogadishu. The ICJ held hearings from Oct. 6–8, 2025, on a request for an advisory opinion about whether the…

Lesotho court forces five displaced families to share compensation with host community — a ruling that raises bigger questions about justice for the uprooted In a decision that closed a six-year legal fight, a Lesotho court has upheld a controversial policy requiring five families uprooted by the construction of the Mohale Dam to share their lump-sum compensation with the broader community that now houses them. Justice Kopo ruled this week that the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority’s (LHDA) distinction between rural…

Somalia moves to prosecute alleged child abuse filmed for social media; court orders detention Somalia’s top prosecutor has referred a high-profile child abuse case to a Mogadishu court after a video circulated online allegedly showing a man burying a young child alive. The Attorney General’s Office said Tuesday the Banadir Regional Court has reviewed preliminary evidence and ordered the defendant, identified as Ali Abdi Sheikh Khadar — known locally by the nickname “Dhegadiish” — into temporary detention while…

South Africa’s top court strips a colonial rule from the registry — and opens a conversation about names, identity and equality In a ruling that reaches beyond bureaucratic formality, South Africa’s Constitutional Court has declared unconstitutional a colonial-era provision that barred husbands from taking their wives’ surnames. The decision — prompted by two couples who challenged the Department of Home Affairs after being denied the right to assume or hyphenate their spouses’ names — requires Parliament to amend the…

Zambian court jails two for using “witchcraft” to target president — a case that cuts across law, belief and politics A Zambian magistrate has sentenced two men to two years in prison for what prosecutors described as an attempt to use witchcraft to kill President Hakainde Hichilema — a verdict that raises awkward questions about how state institutions confront age‑old beliefs when they intersect with contemporary politics. The ruling Magistrate Fine Mayambu on Tuesday handed down the custodial sentences to Leonard Phiri,…

The Ripple Effect of Fraud: Three Nigerian Men Sentenced in U.S. Unemployment Scheme In an unsettling yet revealing chapter of the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, a U.S. court has sentenced three Nigerian men for their direct involvement in a sprawling unemployment fraud scheme. This case not only shines a spotlight on the lengths individuals will go to during times of economic uncertainty but also underscores the ongoing vulnerabilities in international cybersecurity and fraud prevention systems. The Crime…

Kismayo (AX) — In a significant turn of events, a military tribunal in Jubaland on Monday handed clan elder Hassan Mahamud Salah a five-year prison sentence, finding him guilty of conspiring with the militant faction Al-Shabaab. The case highlights the ongoing struggle against terrorism in the region. Presiding over the case, Colonel Abdullahi Mahamud Ibrahim pronounced the verdict, articulating the court's unwavering position on affiliations with Al-Shabaab. "This is a cautionary tale for those who dare to aid terrorist…

The beleaguered aviation titan Boeing is gearing up for yet another challenge as it heads into a civil trial next week regarding the devastating crash of an Ethiopian Airlines flight in March 2019, which tragically claimed the lives of 157 individuals. This trial, set to unfold in federal court in Chicago, initially featured six plaintiffs, but according to sources close to the case, "all but one" have reached settlements. This leaves just a lone plaintiff pressing forward with claims against the aviation giant. Unless a…