After 19 Years, Newark Mayor’s Brother Arrested on Long-Standing Probation Violation

Obalaji Baraka, brother of Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, was arrested on a 2006 probation violation last week, restarting the decades-old court dispute. The arrest occurred 19 years after the violation and nearly 20 years after the conviction.

Obalaji Baraka was convicted of third-degree aggravated assault in a 2004 domestic violence case by Essex County Prosecutor. Served one year on probation. He violated probation two years later, prosecutors claimed. He was arrested for that 2006 offense.

No location or details were provided to verify the arrest. The probation violation took nearly two decades to land in jail, but police have not explained why. By Friday afternoon, multiple agencies’ clarification requests were unanswered.

No word from 60-year-old Obalaji Baraka. Mayor Ras Baraka’s office stated it wouldn’t confirm the arrest because it was a personal matter for an employee. The employee would be treated similarly if the claims are true, a spokeswoman said.

Domestic violence awareness is raised by the mayor’s position and enforcement delay. The mayor of Newark has spoken about it publicly and privately. His sister Shani Baraka’s 2003 domestic violence gunshot death inspired him. He founded the Shani Baraka Women’s Resource Center in 2017 to aid survivors.

Reviving Obalaji Baraka’s domestic violence conviction contradicts his advocacy. Officials stressed that the mayor was not involved in the legal process or probation violation enforcement delay.

The case’s timing, conditions, and legal evolution are unknown. Police did not answer questions about local police participation in the arrest or why they resumed action after so long.

Official information will alter the situation.

Sources:
Information compiled from official statements and public records.