MOGADISHU (KAAB TV) – Aden Muhidin Isaaq, a 45-year-old member of the Galgale clan, a very marginalised group in Somalia, has been languishing in custody at the Mogadishu police Criminal Investigation Department (C.I.D) since the end of June 2023.
Aden, a father of 13 children, was arrested along with several others, according to the Office of the Attorney General, on alleged charges of “stealing fuel from the Ministry of Information“.
While the allegations were not proven and some of his co-accused were already released after the intervention of powerful officials from the presidency and the Ministry of Information, Aden remains behind bars because he comes from a minority clan.
On Thursday morning, July 13, a deputy Attorney General named Abdullahi Yusuf visited Aden at the C.I.D and informed him of his innocence. However, he delivered a disheartening message: Aden would be set free if he could pay the exorbitant sum of U.S $1,500, according to the family and insider sources at the police.
Family members of Aden revealed that he was instructed to contact his family and request them to raise the demanded amount.
According to the Deputy Prosecutor Abdullahi Yusuf, the money was to be handed over to Judge Salah Dheere from the Supreme Court and Chairman Salah Daban from the Banadir Regional Court. Their involvement was allegedly to ensure Aden’s release, despite his innocence.
While this distressing episode unfolded at the Mogadishu C.I.D, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) were engaged in the launch of the so-called Joint Justice and Corrections Programme in Mogadishu. They were seen socializing with corrupt Somali officials including the Attorney General Sulayman Mohamud, Chief Justice Bashe Yusuf, and the Justice Minister Hassan Sheikh Ali, among others all funded by western taxpayers’ money.
The juxtaposition of these events highlights the troubling prevalence of corruption within Mogadishu’s law enforcement agencies. Aden’s continued detention, despite claims of innocence and the release of other accused individuals, raises concerns about the fairness and integrity of the justice system.
The international community, which invests considerable resources in supporting Somalia’s governance and justice sectors, must take note of these troubling developments. Abdalle Mumin, an outspoken human rights defender and the Secretary-General of the Somali Journalists Syndicate who first broke the story on Thursday expressed their concern for lack of accountability, transparency, and the upholding of the rule of law.
The plight of Aden Muhidin Isaaq serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by ordinary citizens caught up in a system marred by corruption and undue influence. As the people of Somalia yearn for justice and stability, it is crucial for the government to address these systemic issues, hold accountable those responsible for corruption, and ensure a fair and impartial justice system for all its citizens.