Benadir regional court sentences government officials for corruption

Benadir Regional Court on Thursday sentenced six government officials to prison terms ranging from 6 months to 9 years on corruption charges. The heaviest sentences were given to a taxation officer at Mogadishu airport (9 years) and an official in charge of issuing work permits to foreign workers (4 years). Five defendants were cleared of all wrongdoing.

Among the six officials convicted, the most notable is Abdullahi Mohamud Osoble, the former director of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Immigration and Nationality Agency. Osoble was sentenced to one year in prison.

Another notable figure is Abdirahman Abdikarin Ibrahim, the former head of the legal department at the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Ibrahim was sentenced to 9 years in prison and suspended from holding public office.

The convictions and sentences handed down by the court are a significant step in the fight against corruption in Somalia.