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Djibouti president Ismail Guelleh declines to attend London court

Thursday October 08 2015

Djibouti's effort to charge the opposition leader with corruption looked shaky this week as President Ismaïl Guelleh declined to attend a High Court case in London where he was set to be the key witness.

In a letter to the judge, Mr Guelleh asked Sir Julian Flaux to "accept his apologies" on grounds that, "as the elected head of Djibouti" he had other more pressing obligations at home. The decision, he said, was taken in "the higher interest of my country."

The president also filed two witness statements.

Djibouti has laid a charge of corruption against exiled businessman and opposition leader, Mr Abdourahman Boreh, alleging that over a period of five years until 2009, he took bribes and corrupted the tender process while expanding a harbour near the capital, Djibouti City.

Last month the judge turned down a request by the president to give evidence via video link and insisted he take the stand in person. This would have made Mr Guelleh the first head of state called to an English court in nearly four centuries. 

In the letter seen by The EastAfrican, Mr Guelleh told judge Julian Flaux:  "The Republic of Djibouti has suffered significant fraud at the hands of Mr Boreh who abused his position to obtain substantial financial benefits for himself and his companies."

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In another paragraph, the president says he means no disrespect to the court by his absence and has only brought the case in London because of Britain's "reputation for fairness, equity, and the proper pursuit of justice".

Until he fled to exile in 2009 after being charged with treason, Mr Boreh was one of Mr Guelleh's closest friends, and much of the harbour deal was reportedly done through verbal agreements between the two men. It was for this reason Sir Julian insisted the president should attend in person so he could recount these conversations.

READ: Law firm accused of misleading UK court

ALSO READ: London court to decide if Djibouti tycoon was framed

But critics claim Mr Guelleh would find it hard to face the world media in London, given Djibouti has one of the worst human rights records in Africa, with allegations of torture and the disappearance of activists.

The ruling People's Rally for Progress controls all 65 seats in parliament and, since independence from France in 1977, the only two presidents have been Mr Guelleh and his uncle who died in 1999.

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