Monday September 4, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - The Attorney General's Office of Somalia has filed charges to the Banadir Regional Court against seven government officials, who are facing corruption charges.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Attorney General Suleyman Mohamed Mohamud revealed that these officials, who are all currently outside the country, include both current and former employees of the Immigration and Naturalization Directorate (IND) Agency, the National Audit Office, and the Ministry of Finance in Somalia.
The seven defendants are:
1- Osman Hassan Cosoble: The Deputy Director General of the Immigration and Naturalization Directorate (IND) Agency (Absent).
2- Jafar Mohamed Ahmed: Former Director General of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance( Absent).
3- Abdikafi Hassan Mohamed: Former Director of Administration & Finance at the Immigration and Naturalization Directorate (IND) Agency (Absent).
4- Mohamed Hussein Nageye: Formerly holding the position of officer in charge of visa extensions at the Immigration and Naturalization Directorate (IND) Agency (Absent).
5- Abdihakim Abdullahi Abdi (Jiile): A former adviser to the Director General of the the Immigration and Naturalization Directorate (IND) Agency, serving between November 15, 2021, and April 20, 2023 (Absent).
6- Abdalla Mohamed Ahmed: Former Director of IT at the Office of the Auditor General (Absent).
7- Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed: Former Department of Aliens & Visa Extension Officer at the Immigration and Naturalization Directorate (IND) Agency (Absent).
Somalia's prosecutors have recently filed charges against 18 officials accused of corruption, theft, public funds diversion, document falsification, and duty dereliction. Nine accused individuals are currently in detention, while the remaining nine are believed to be outside the country.In July, the Banadir Regional Court initiated live broadcasts of trials
involving four junior officials from the Immigration Department who were
facing corruption and public theft charges.
The Somali prosecutor's office has become more assertive in tackling corruption cases following a presidential decree issued earlier this year. The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs director is among those arrested on corruption charges. Similarly, the officer in charge of the police force was detained on corruption charges just a day earlier.
