One of the prisoners transferred from the Seychelles succumbs to severe cough in Somaliland

One of the prisoners who were transferred from Seychelles Island died yesterday in the Central Jail of Hargeysa, the capital of the self breakaway of Somaliland.

Speaking to Goobjoog News, Abdifatah Ahmed Abdulle, an inmate with the deceased detainee both transferred from the Indian Ocean Island cited severe cough with blood as the cause of death which ultimately claimed his life.

“The prisoner who died was a youth whom we have been transferred together. He was sick for almost 3 years as a result of police torture and he started coughing which later became a severe one leading to spiting blood” said inmate Abdulle.

Asked on the health service in the prison, he poured out his frustration. “No. There is no health service. We are only given paracetamol tablets even if we are suffering from malaria or typhoid.”

Prisoner Abdulle highlighted the health crisis prisoners are facing in the jail and if nothing is done to remedy the situation, they shall be expecting the same fate with the deceased prisoner.

“Completely there is no health assistance and we shall die due to lack of health service. Anyone can feel the pain for one who is sick for a long period without a treatment. We are 21 prisoners who hail from Galmudug state especially Dhusa Mareeb and Adado areas and held in the central jail of Hargeysa” lamented prisoner Abdulle.

Abdulle is allegedly accused of being a pirate and held for an extensive duration in the Seychelles. “We have been brought from the Seychelles where were held for a long period and accused on piracy.”

Late November 2017 the then Somali foreign minister Yussuf Garad Omar who was in the Seychelles noted Somali prisoners serving various jail terms in Seychelles will be released December to serve the rest of their terms in Somali prisons.

The prisoners were arrested off the coast of Somalia on piracy charges and sentenced in Seychelles.

Goobjoog News