Mogadishu (Caasimada Online) – In a stark warning to soldiers, Somalia’s First-Degree Military Court executed four service members accused of killing their fellow soldiers on Thursday.
The soldiers, who served in different branches of the government’s army, including the military, police, and security forces, were found guilty of the crime.
The execution was carried out by firing squad at the General Kahiye Police Academy in Mogadishu in the presence of the top military court and security officials.
The executed soldiers were Bukhari Awil Mohamud of the NISA, Ali Mohamud Hussein of the military, Abdirisak Ahmed Mukhtar, a policeman, and Mohamed Nur Sheikh Warre, a policeman.
Families of the victims, whom the executed soldiers had killed, were present and expressed relief at the outcome. The Military Court warned soldiers against similar crimes and called on them to remain focused on protecting the security and serving the people and the country.
The execution is part of a recent trend of increasing death sentences by the Military Court. The court has previously sentenced members of terrorist organizations Al-Shabab and ISIS to death. Other soldiers convicted of similar crimes await their execution sentences.
In Mogadishu, a significant number of government soldiers are being held in custody for crimes that involve the killing of both civilian and military personnel. As of now, their verdicts are still outstanding.
Recently, the government also delivered a verdict on a soldier charged with killing an auto-rickshaw driver in the capital.
The court’s decision to execute the soldiers is seen as sending a strong message. It underscores its commitment to ensuring the military serves its primary purpose of protecting the people and the country.
