Six rapists who posted videos online get up to 10 year jail terms in Somalia

A court in Goldogob in Puntland has sentenced six men found guilty of raping two 14 year old girls and posting videos of the incident online to jail terms of between five and ten years.

The court also slapped the six with fines but the exact amounts is yet to be established in addition to lashes of between 100 and 200 lashes. Goobjoog News correspondent in Goldogob reports the court which sat today delivered the verdict with five of the six defendants present. One of the defendants is still at large.

Shirwah Jamaa Juunle was sentenced to ten years, 200 lashes and unspecified fines while Yaasir Maahir got eight years behind bars with a similar number of lashes. Another defendant Yahye Abdullahi Awkah was given a lesser sentence of six years and 100 lashes. The fourth defendant Ayaale Wale was handed a seven year jail term and 100 lashes while the fifth defendant got five years and 100 lashes.

The verdict for the six defendant is yet to be delivered since he still remains at large. The five defendants were lashed in front of the court before they were transported to Garowe to serve their jail terms.

The case came to the public limelight after the defendants posted a video of the rape incident triggering global uproar. Campaigners have raised funds online to support the two ladies who were raped.

Present during the hearing was Puntland Justice Minister Salaah Habib Jamaac, Gender and Women Affairs Minister Aniso Haaji and Puntland police commissioner Abdinasir Shire Shire Farah among family members and members of the public.

Gender Minister Aniso Haaji had earlier vowed to ensure the defendants are brought to book after it emerged there were attempts by elders in the area to resort to negotiations under the traditional judicial system.