Ibrahim Robow Ali, the younger brother of Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Ali (Abu Mansoor), Somalia’s Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs, was detained in Mogadishu on Saturday evening as per reputable sources who spoke to Dalsan Tv
Ali was detained overnight at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).His arrest has yet to be officially explained, but insiders have suggested that an investigation into this year’s Hajj services is on progress
Four days prior to his arrest, Ali was also reappointed as the secretary of the Hajj affairs committee. While neither the security services nor the prosecution have commented on Ali’s charges, speculation continues to swirl.
Hajj pilgrimage is a contentious sector that has been marred with corruption over the last few years .
Ealier on this year , Prime Minister Hamza Abdi criticized Hajj agencies for adding these fees and explained that government officials should not set up illegal checkpoints to extract money from people who have sold their farms, homes, or businesses to perform Hajj. These illegal checkpoints, locally known as “isbaaro,†are a form of extortion whereby officials abuse their positions to extract money or resources through bribes from citizens.
Despite the Prime Minister’s assurance that his administration will streamline activities of Hajj docket , corruption allegations continue to resurface .
Four days ago Somalia’s Ministry for Endowment and Religious Affairs has established a committee to address the long-standing dispute over the management of Hajj services provided to the Somali public.
According to an official statement released by the ministry, new criteria have been announced for companies interested in competing to provide Hajj services.
The establishment of a nine-member committee has been tasked with overseeing the competition among these companies, focusing on the provision of services to Somali pilgrims.
