Mogadishu Court Orders Death for Man Accused of Burning Wife to Death

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: Sayid Ali Moalim Daud who was accused on burning his wife to death has this afternoon been sentenced to death in a case that attracted national outrage and interest in the last two months.

Banaadir Regional Court declared Daud guilty of murdering his wife Luul Abdiasis Mohamed on January 26 before feeling. He was arrested on February 5 and airlifted to Mogadishu for trial.

The court proceedings which were beamed live on Tv and attracted attention from Somalis at home and abroad concluded last week after several witnesses appeared before the court. An under age daughter of the man also testified before the court in what was criticised as additional trauma to the child.

In his defence, Daud said he loved his wife and just set the house on fire out of anger. He told the court that his wife jumped into the room which had been engulfed by fire but his attempts to save her failed.

He told the court he was angry after his wife told him that she wanted to divorce and be married to another man.

Luul was admitted to the hospital for about a week but shortly succumbed to her injuries. The family declined to burry her, noting they would wait to burry her when her husband was sentenced to death.

Daud still has the chance to appeal the case. People sentenced to death in Somalia face the firing squad after they exhaust all legal avenues.