A council of Islamic scholars appointed to resolve a paternity dispute involving a 16-year-old boy named Mohamed has ruled that Liban Haji Tahlil is his biological father.
The scholars announced their decision on Monday after hearing evidence and statements from the parties involved in the case.
The dispute attracted widespread attention on social media after two men, Liban and Farah, both of whom had married Halimo, Mohamed’s mother, claimed to be the boy’s biological father.
The disagreement eventually extended to their respective families.
The prolonged dispute reportedly resulted in deaths and injuries, according to information presented before the court.
The matter was eventually referred for a formal ruling to bring the dispute to an end.
The Puntland regional administration appointed a committee of local Islamic scholars to hear the case. The committee listened to both men, the boy’s mother, Mohamed himself, witnesses and other individuals involved in the dispute.
The case has become one of the most widely discussed legal disputes in Puntland, particularly because the ruling was reached without using DNA testing to establish the boy’s biological paternity.
The scholars heard arguments and evidence related to the case over several days before delivering their final decision on Monday.
Mustaqbal
