Military Court Hands Life Sentence to Senior Al-Shabaab Member

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia’s Military High Court has sentenced a senior Al-Shabaab member to life imprisonment after overturning an earlier 15-year prison term, in a ruling that underscores the country’s judicial campaign against the Islamist militant group.

The court increased the sentence after military prosecutors appealed the original verdict, arguing that it did not reflect the gravity of the offences.

Judicial authorities identified the convict as Idris Mohamed Sheikh Mohamed, also known as Abbas or Abu Mohamed, saying he held senior positions within Al-Shabaab for several years.

According to the court, Idris served as the group’s administrator in the districts of Diinsoor, Berdale and Baidoa, as well as in the Middle Shabelle region. He was also found to have been a member of Al-Shabaab’s Shura Council, the group’s highest decision-making body.

Military prosecutors said Idris was arrested on July 28, 2024, in the Mareer Guur area near Dhusamareb while attempting to travel between central and southern Somalia. Following investigations by security agencies and the Office of the Military Prosecutor, he was brought before the Military Court of First Instance, which sentenced him to 15 years in prison in December 2025.

After reviewing the prosecution’s appeal and hearing submissions from both sides, the Military High Court set aside the earlier ruling and imposed a life sentence, describing it as the final judgment in the case.

The ruling comes as Somalia intensifies both military operations and judicial efforts against Al-Shabaab, as the federal government seeks to prosecute senior operatives captured during security operations as part of a broader strategy to weaken the group’s command structure and financing networks.