Hargeisa (SLpost) – The Marodi Jeh Regional Court has dismissed as false a series of documents circulating on social media that purported to be official court summons ordering several Somaliland businesses to appear before the court over their alleged opposition to the government’s planned Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The documents, which were designed to resemble authentic court correspondence, claimed that the court had summoned a number of companies accused of resisting the introduction of the proposed GST system. The claims quickly spread across social media platforms, raising questions about the court’s involvement in the government’s tax reform efforts.
In an official press statement, however, the Marodi Jeh Regional Court categorically denied issuing any summons related to GST, describing the circulating documents as fabricated and without any legal basis.
The court clarified that while it has the legal authority to issue summons whenever necessary in the discharge of its judicial or administrative responsibilities, such authority is exercised strictly within the scope of the law. Summons may be issued for judicial or administrative purposes where legally justified, but not in the manner claimed by the widely circulated documents.
According to the court, tax disputes and appeals are governed by the Somaliland Revenue Law (Law No. 72/2016), which assigns jurisdiction over such matters to the Taxation Appeals Tribunal. As a result, the Marodi Jeh Regional Court emphasized that it has not issued any summons concerning the implementation or enforcement of the proposed GST.
The court urged members of the public to exercise caution when encountering information shared on social media and to avoid spreading unverified claims that could mislead the public, damage the credibility of judicial institutions, and undermine confidence in the rule of law.
It further warned that legal action would be taken against anyone found responsible for forging court documents or disseminating false information relating to the court’s official functions.
The statement comes amid ongoing public debate over the Somaliland government’s plans to introduce a Goods and Services Tax, with businesses and other stakeholders continuing to discuss the potential economic impact of the proposed tax regime. The court’s clarification seeks to dispel misinformation and reaffirm that it has played no role in any alleged legal action against companies in connection with the proposed GST.
Reporting by Somalilandpost News
