Banadir Court of Appeal Upholds Death Sentence Against Man Accused of Burning Wife to Death

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: The Benadir Region Appeals Court has upheld the death sentence against Sayid Ali Moalim Daud, who was convicted of burning his pregnant wife, Luul Abdiaziz to death.

Daud had launched an appeal against an earlier ruling by the Banadir Regional Court in March, sentencing him to death for the crime and after a series of hearings, the Appellate court on Wednesday ruled to uphold the death penalty.

However, the court of appeal in its ruling added that the judgement is open for appeal at the country’s supreme court as Daud’s lawyer said they were not satisfied by the verdict and will launch an appeal.

The victim’s family on their part welcomed the ruling saying the verdict delivered the justice they had been seeking for their deceased kin.

The case had attracted nationwide attention and sparked public outcry who called for justice for the late Luul Sheikh Abdiaziz, saying it will mark a turning point in cases of domestic and gender related violence in Somalia.

The deceased, who was an employee of Aden Abdulle International Airport and a mother of six died while undergoing treatment for injuries she sustained in the fire at Erdogan Hospital.

The prosecution had argued that the late Abdiaziz was set on fire by her husband following a domestic argument.