Hargeisa (SLpost)- The Maroodi-Jeh Regional Court has categorically denied issuing a document circulating on social media that purports to be a court notice seeking the whereabouts of an accused person, featuring the name of Somaliland’s Minister of Information, Culture and National Guidance, Barkhad Jama Batun.
In an official statement posted on Facebook, the court said the document did not originate from the Maroodi Jeh Regional Court and was not an official judicial document issued by the institution.
The court stressed that neither the text nor the information contained in the circulating document should be attributed to the judiciary, adding that it did not reflect any official decision or order issued by the court.
Court urges public to verify official documents
The disputed document bears the heading “Baafin Dacwaysane,” which translates to a notice seeking an accused person, and displays the name of the Maroodi Jeh Regional Court in Hargeisa. It also contains a reference number and a date of issuance of 20 October, 2026.
However, the court’s statement explicitly rejects the document’s purported official status, warning against treating its contents as an authentic judicial notice.
The court urged members of the public and media organisations to exercise caution when sharing documents and reports that have not been independently verified. It also called on the public to confirm such information through the court’s official channels before circulating it.
The purported court document states that the named accused person is required to appear before the court within a specified period in connection with a case allegedly pending before it. However, the Maroodi Jeh Regional Court has denied issuing the document, stating that it is not an official judicial document and does not represent any order or decision issued by the court.
Protecting the credibility of judicial institutions
The court reiterated the importance of safeguarding factual accuracy, the reputation of judicial institutions and public confidence in the justice system.
The statement comes amid the circulation of the disputed document on social media, highlighting the potential for unverified material to mislead the public and falsely associate official institutions with documents they have not issued.
The court’s denial makes clear that the circulating document should not be presented as an official notice from the Maroodi Jeh Regional Court.
Somalilandpost News emphasises the importance of verifying documents attributed to public institutions before publication, particularly those containing alleged legal orders, accusations or other sensitive claims.
This report is based on the court’s denial as provided. The authenticity of the circulating document has not been independently examined beyond the information contained in the statement.
The latest denial follows an earlier statement by the Maroodi-Jeh Regional Court rejecting purported court summonses circulated on social media in connection with Somaliland’s proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST). In that case, the court denied issuing the documents and warned against the circulation of forged judicial notices.
