On Tuesday 10 May 2022, the Court of the Armed Forces opened the first hearing session with the attendance of the journalists’ family and lawyers. The defendant officer, Salim Hassan Da’ud, who was still working for the Mogadishu police operations department, was arrested and arraigned at the court following complaints filed by ASOJ lawyers.  The military court also ordered the arrest of a second Haramcad police officer who is on the run for his involvement in the journalist’s shooting.

The court will mention the dates for the second hearing in the coming weeks.

"The start of the hearing of this case is the beginning of justice for many other cases against journalists in Somalia. We are glad that the case of our colleague Sharma’arke has finally come to the court,” ASOJ Legal Adviser, Avv. Abdirahman Omar who witnessed the court proceedings on Tuesday said. "We look forward to getting justice for our colleague.”

"We welcome the start of the trial against the alleged police officer who shot and seriously injured our colleague, Sharma’arke Abdinur Wehliye, in March last year in Mogadishu. Even though the trial has started yesterday, it sends a signal that attacks against journalists are counted and will not be forgotten,” Dahir Alasow, the Secretary-General of Associated Somali Journalists Syndicate (ASOJ) said. "We will not rest until we find justice for all other colleagues killed or injured and their families. Impunity for crimes against journalists must end and perpetrators must not escape justice even if they are powerful officers.”