(25-06-23) MOGADISHU — The Military Court in Somalia on Sunday, pronounced judgment in a case that has scandalised the Mogadishu traffic police, sentencing three soldiers who participated in varying capacities in a video that went viral on social media.
The primary accused, Mohamed Ahmed Mohamud, known locally as ‘Arab’, was caught on camera executing inhumane torture against an ex-serviceman with special needs seeking service from the Mogadishu Traffic division. The court has handed Mohamud a three-year sentence to be served at the army prison and rehabilitation.
Ahmed Hassan Adawe, the individual responsible for overseeing the CCTV camera footage, and his accomplice Abdullahi Abukar Arif, were sentenced to two years in a military prison, including a period of rehabilitation. Instead of sharing the footage with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Prosecuting Authority, the duo decided to inflict embarrassment on the Traffic & Road Safety Division.
Colonel Hassan Ali Nur Shute, the chairman of the Somali military court, conveying the court’s decision, said, “These men have not only disgraced themselves and the army but also humiliated the Road Safety Division. Their punishment should act as a stern reminder that misuse of authority and positions of power will not be tolerated.”
The shocking video surfaced on the Internet, sparking outrage among citizens who called for immediate justice. The video revealed Mohamud physically assaulting an ex-soldier with special needs in the presence of Adawe and Arif, who captured the incident instead of intervening.
“The choice they made to share this cruel act on social media rather than reporting to the CID and Prosecuting Authority reflects an alarming disregard for both the rule of law and basic human dignity,” Shute stated, addressing the responsibilities and moral duties of the convicted soldiers.
The conviction has shed light on the urgency to address misconduct within the military and law enforcement. Advocacy groups and citizens are urging the government to implement more stringent measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
