Mogadishu Court Sentences Social Media Figure Sacdiya Bajaaj to Three Years in Prison

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: A court in Mogadishu has sentenced social media activist Sacdiya Macalin Ali, widely known as Sacdiya Bajaaj, to three years in prison after finding her guilty of charges brought by state prosecutors.

The ruling was announced by Banadir Regional Court Chairman Salah Daban, who said the court had concluded that the prosecution had proven its case following months of legal proceedings.

Sacdiya had been facing charges linked to alleged public incitement and activities that state prosecutors argued could undermine public security.

Her lawyer, Mohamed Sheikh Halane, rejected the verdict and said the defence team would challenge the decision through the appeals process.

“The court handed down the maximum sentence under the charges. We will appeal the ruling,” Halane told reporters after the judgment.

Throughout the trial, Sacdiya’s legal team maintained that prosecutors had failed to produce sufficient evidence to support the accusations, arguing that the case lacked a legal basis for conviction.

The case attracted widespread public attention in Somalia, particularly on social media, where supporters and critics closely followed developments during her months-long detention.

At an earlier stage of the proceedings, the Banadir Regional Court returned the case to prosecutors and instructed them to strengthen aspects of the evidence and legal arguments presented against the defendant before hearings resumed.

The ruling marks the conclusion of a closely watched case that has sparked debate among legal observers and civil society groups over due process, freedom of expression and the handling of cases involving online activism.

Under Somalia’s judicial system, criminal convictions can be challenged before higher courts, and Sacdiya’s lawyers have indicated they will pursue an appeal in the coming days.