Somali court has released $9.6 million seized from United Arab Emirates ( UAE) in April 2018 by the Federal government of Somalia.
The money is being returned to the UAE Ambassador in Mogadishu on Thursday.
Outgoing Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble ordered the release of the money in January.
Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble before he left for Abu Dhabi today confirmed that the money has been released to the UAE government.
Outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo had ordered the Governor of the Central Bank of Somalia not to release the $9.6m money which was seized by Somali Security forces on 8th April, 2018 at Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu.
President Farmajo said that the money is illicit and should not be released to any entity adding that the money was intended to cause interference in the country.
“H.E @M_Farmaajo President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, orders Governor of the Central Bank @CBSsomalia against releasing illicit money, 9.6M USD which was seized by our gallant Somali Security forces to any entity which seeks claim, due to its illegal entry into our nation.” President Farmaajo.
Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble had on Friday January, 8, apologised to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government following the seizure of its $9.6 million money.
The outgoing PM who was speaking while receiving a consignment of medical and food aid from the UAE government at Aden Abdulle International Airport pledged to return the money to the UAE government.
However, President Farmaajo halted the release of the money.
According to the Somali government, the money which was stashed in several suitcases was intercepted after it emerged that it would have been used to cause instability in the country.
In rebuttal to the seizure, the UAE government announced the suspension of all operations in Somalia after the Central government of Somalia said it had cut its diplomatic ties with UAE over alleged meddling of the sovereignty of the Somalia.
Somali Federal government and UAE restored back their diplomatic relations in January this year after three years of frosty relations between the two Nations.