Puntland: Convicted Rapists to be Executed in February

In an exclusive interview with Puntland Post the acting Chief Justice of Puntland Supreme Court Mr Nur Mohamed Issa explained why the death sentence on three men who gang-raped and murdered Aisha Ilyas remains unenforced.

Both the Supreme Court of Puntland and Court of Appeals have upheld the death penalty against Cabdifitaax Cabdiraxmaan Warsame, Cabdishakuur Maxamed Dige and Cabdisalaan Cabdiraxmaan Warsame whom Nugaal Regional Court found guilty of luring, gang-raping and killing Aisha Ilyas Aden.

“The court ruling is awaiting enforcement. We are waiting for the execution file from the Attorney General’s office containing inheritance details and permission from the family of Aisha before the execution of the three men convicted of the gang-rape and murder” said Issa.

The Acting Chief Justice added that President Said Abdullahi Deni of Puntland State will not sign the execution letter “because this is a civil case”.  Legal experts question how the Puntland judiciary categorises  the case gang-rape and murder under the Civil Law.

Detectives of the case have used DNA tests to investigate the crime with the help of the first   forensic laboratory in Somalia based in Garowe.  Meanwhile Puntland State Television reports that the convicted three men “will be executed by a firing squad in February 2020.”

© Puntland Post, 2020