Bakar Abdiaziz Mohamed

SOMALIA: MILITARY COURT SENTENCES HARAMCAD OFFICER TO DEATH FOR KILLING UNARMED CIVILIAN

August 20, 2025:

A Somali military court on August 2, 2025 sentenced a former officer from the Haram'ad special police unit to death by firing squad after finding him guilty of murdering an unarmed day labourer in a brazen, unprovoked shooting that has reignited public debate over accountability within the country’s security forces.
The court convicted Bakar Abdiaziz Mohamed of fatally shooting 36-year-old Ali Iskow Daud on June 28 near Ali Boolaay Mosque in Mogadishu’s Waberi district.
Prosecutors said Mohamed, without provocation, asked the victim, “Why are you looking at me?” before opening fire.
The suspect fled the scene on a motorized rickshaw but was arrested the same day by security forces in the capital’s Abdiaziz district. The Office of the Military Prosecutor launched a swift investigation and formally filed the case with the court on July 27.
Col. Hassan Ali Nur Shuute, chief judge of the First-Degree Court of the Armed Forces, confirmed that the ruling would be carried out under qisaas, the Islamic legal principle of retributive justice, which allows the victim’s family to seek capital punishment.
Ali Iskow Daud, described by relatives as a hardworking man who earned a living through physical labour, had no criminal record. His killing drew widespread outrage from the community and civil society groups, who applauded the court’s decision as a step toward justice.
“This verdict sends a message that no one is above the law,” one family member told local media. “We hope the government continues holding abusive officers accountable.”
Rights advocates say the ruling highlights the urgent need for stronger oversight and ethical training within Somalia’s security apparatus, especially units like Haramcad, which operate in urban environments.
The Somali government has not commented publicly on the ruling or announced any disciplinary action against Haramcad as a result of the case. However, the conviction has renewed calls for systemic reforms aimed at restoring public trust and protecting civilians from abuses by uniformed personnel.