The Armed Forces Court has handed down sentences to three soldiers who were involved in the dissemination of a video showing the torture of a young man with special needs by government soldiers.
The soldiers, identified as Mohamed Ahmed Mohamud (also known as Arab), Ahmed Hassan Adawe, and Abdullahi Abukar Arif, were said to have played different roles in the incident.
Arab, who was seen in the video torturing the young man, was sentenced to three years in prison and military boxing. Adawe, who was the head of the CCTV camera, and Arif, who spread the video on the internet, were both sentenced to two years in military prison and Fel Celin.
The video, which was widely circulated on the internet, showed the young man being subjected to inhumane torture by Arab. The victim was said to be a former soldier with special needs who had sought service at the Traffic poluce headquarters.
The soldiers involved in the incident could have shared the footage with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Prosecution, but instead chose to humiliate the Road Security Division, according to a statement from the armed forces court.
The Chairman of the Court, Major General Hassan Ali Noor Shute, announced the sentence of the three soldiers and stated that they have the opportunity to appeal if they are not satisfied with the sentence handed down today.
It is hoped that the sentences handed down by the armed forces court will serve as a deterrent to others who may consider similar actions. The protection of vulnerable individuals in society, including those with special needs, must be a top priority for all members of the armed forces.
