President Mohamed Farmaajo utilized his constitutional powers by extending President Pardon to 148 prisoners in efforts aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
Reports from Villa Somalia say Farmaajo issued this presidential directive to decongest the country’s heavily populated correctional facilities.
Health officers have earmarked the country’s prisons as potential Coronavirus hotspots.
Though many of Somalia’s prisons are spread all over the country, Mogadishu hosts quite a number of them.
Prisoners end up in the facilities following robust trials conducted at various military courts. The country’s judicial system is almost dysfunctional.
Suleiman Mohamed, the Attorney General of this Horn of Africa nation, prepared a status report showing the current condition the country’s prisons.
Villa Somalia issued a statement saying, “The Attorney General’s status report on the country’s prisons informed the President’s decision to pardon the prisoners.”
AG Mohamed will implement the presidential directive.