Tuesday February 11, 2020
GAROWE (HOL) - A third convict in the rape and murder of 12-year-old girl in Galkaayo last year was spared death Tuesday following negotiations between the families of the late Aisha Aden and that of the convict, HOL has learnt.
Source close to the case told HOL Abdisalan Abdirahman Warsame, who is the brother of the second convict Abdifitah Abdirahman Warsame was not executed following negotiations between the two families.
Abdishakur Mohamed Dige and Abdifitah Abdirahman Warsame were executed Tuesday morning in a firing squad following a court verdict last May which was upheld by the Supreme Court in Puntland August 29.
Sources said the two families agreed to blood money after negotiations. “The family of the convicted sons pleaded with Aisha’s family to let one son live and compensate them,” the source said.
Other sources said that Abdisalan had all throughout the trial pleaded innocent noting he was in class as a teacher at the time of the incident.
However, DNA samples collected by Bureau of Forensic Science based in Puntland and subsequent results from tests carried out in Kenya pinned the three to the vicious gang rape and murder of Aisha Ilyas Aden in February 2019.
The 1st Grade Court in Garowe in its ruling in May 2019 found the three guilty relying on among others evidence from the forensic tests. The court also acquitted seven other suspects charged alongside the three.
An appeal by the three convicts failed in August when the Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling.
According to sources privy to the case, judges in Garowe are currently reviewing the case.