Soldiers convicted of boy's rape executed in Somalia

BAIDOA, Somalia - Two soldiers who were convicted of rape were executed on Tuesday in Somalia, officials said, few days after the victim died, in a move was seen as a step towards instilling discipline in a country that has a dysfunctional judiciary following years of turmoil.

According to Government records, the 10-year-old boy was left bleeding after the incident before succumbing to his injuries. The incident had caused an uproar from among love officials and International human rights organizations.

Officials said that the two soldiers were convicted in Baidoa, the regional administrative capital of Southwest, in a trial whose details still remain scanty and were "served" justice by a firing squad. The rape incident was recorded in July this year, records show.

The executions, local officials reported, also come amid mounting public pressure on the authorities of Southwest State after reports of two other cases of rapes of young boys emerged, angering local residents who are demanding justice.

IIyas Said Ali, the Southwest regional information minister, said that the two soldiers had confessed to the crimes. The minister also confirmed the arrests of more people in connection with the other two rape cases.

Social media users in Somalia had urged authorities to bring perpetrators of the attacks to justice. Rape suspects often avoid prosecutions in this Horn of Africa nation, where the justice system remains weak.

Due to the weak judicial system, local elders often try to settle rape cases through talks among elders representing the perpetrator and the victim, but local activists subsequently urged the suspects to face trial under a tough new law against sex crimes.

Under the new law, those found guilty of rape can be jailed for up to 10 years without the option of a fine. However, some of them could face the death penalty. Somalia is trying to build a functional government after years of lawlessness and an insurgency by Islamic extremists.

Members of the Somali National Army [SNA] have often been linked to various rape incidents in Somalia but a number of them have often evaded justice due to weak judicial systems. The soldiers often get immunity due to their positions in society.

Early this year, the ministry of defense admitted investigating two cases that involved soldiers who had been accused of rape in the Southwest region. But until to date, the ministry is yet to give an update about the cases, further raising questions about the honesty of the government.

GAROWE ONLINE