On Sunday, the Puntland military court has sentenced a member of Al Shabaab to death, after the man pleaded guilty to murders of more than 20 people.
The defendant named Abdulkadir Mohammed Ali, 24 years old, was accused of taking part in the killings of government officials and traditional leaders in Puntland. His victims included the Judge of Bosaso district court, prosecutors, legislators, Traditional leaders, businessmen and officers of the Puntland armed forces who were assassinated from 2009 to 2011.
According to the prosecutor, the man confessed to the crimes, “… he confessed that he himself carried out some the assassinations while other murders he was playing a crucial role of intelligence gathering…” says Abdullahi Hirsi the military prosecutor adding “…The defendant was part of Al Shabab cell operating in the two major towns of Bosaso and Galkayo….” The defendant has 30 days to appeal the court’s verdict.
Abdulkadir was arrested in January this year, during a security operations conducted by the police just days before the presidential election in Somalia’s north eastern autonomous region of Puntland State.
Horseed Media