MOGADISHU, Somalia 11 May, 2022 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) welcomes the beginning of the military court hearing of a trial against a police officer who shot and seriously injured Goobjoog camera-journalist and SJS member, Sharma’arke Abdinur Wehliye, in March 2021 in Mogadishu.
On the evening of 20 March, 2021, the young cameraman, Wehliye was heading home from work when the Haramcad police officer shot at him resulting serious stomach and hand injuries, according to SJS documentation at the time. After five months in the hospital and with multiple surgeries, he survived.
On Tuesday 10 May 2022, the Court of the Armed Forces opened the first hearing session with the attendance of the journalists’ family and lawyers. The defendant officer, Salim Hassan Da’ud, who was still working for the Mogadishu police operations department, was arrested and arraigned at the court following complaints filed by SJS lawyers. The military court also ordered the arrest of a second Haramcad police officer who is on the run for his involvement in the journalist’s shooting.
The court will mention the dates for the second hearing in the coming weeks.
“The start of the hearing of this case is the beginning of justice for many other cases against journalists in Somalia. We are glad that the case of our colleague Sharma’arke has finally come to the court,” SJS Legal Adviser, Avv. Abdirahman Omar who witnessed the court proceedings on Tuesday said. “We look forward to getting justice for our colleague.”
“We welcome the start of the trial against the alleged police officer who shot and seriously injured our colleague, Sharma’arke Abdinur Wehliye, in March last year in Mogadishu. Even though the trial has started yesterday, it sends a signal that attacks against journalists are counted and will not be forgotten,” Abdalle Ahmed Mumin, the Secretary-General of Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said. “We will not rest until we find justice for all other colleagues killed or injured and their families. Impunity for crimes against journalists must end and perpetrators must not escape justice even if they are powerful officers.”