Mogadishu (Sunatimes) Military court in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, has sentenced a government soldier for 24 years of imprisonment for a murder attempt.

Military constable Hussein Isse Ali 24, member of the second battalion attached to the Somali presidential guards was found guilty of attempting to kill a local businessman at his shop in Mogadishu’s Suq Ba’aad market.

The charges against him stated that, on unspecified date and day, armed with a riffle and 144 rounds of ammunition, attacked the businessman at his shop by pointing the gun at him, with the intent of murder and robbery, an act that put in risk the life of the businessman.

In giving his verdict, military court Judge Hassan Mohamed Hussein said that after considering witnesses to the case and other substantial evidences produced in court, he found the accused Hussein Isse Ali guilty of the said charges and sentences him twenty four years in military custody.

The court also convicted six other government soldiers to two years of imprisonment each.

Another five soldiers were also sentenced to one year jail term each for duty negligence.

The Somali military court acquitted seven other military officers accused of various charges after the prosecution department failed to produce enough evidence against them.

Earlier last month, two Somali government soldiers have been executed in Mogadishu after Somalia’s military court sentenced them to death for killing colleagues and civilians.

By Fadumo Farah