During a news conference on Tuesday, Somalia’s Attorney General, Suleiman Mohamed Mahmoud, released a list of 18 government officials accused of financial crimes and corruption.
Surprisingly, nine of the accused have managed to depart the country, leaving a trail of suspected theft and illegal practises in their wake.
The names of the authorities involved for the corrupt actions are included on the Attorney General’s list. The accused included Abdullahi Mohamed Ali, the General Director of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, who held the position until August 6, 2020.
Mohamed Adde Mukhtar, the former General Director of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs from 2015 to 2020, was also named as a suspect.
Other senior officials accused include Abdullahi Mohamed Osoble, Director of the Foreign Relations Office, Omar Maalin Kutiin, Deputy Director of the Foreign Relations Office, Saadir Hassan Abdi Nur, Head of the Visa Extension Department at the Foreign Relations Office, Adan Mohamed Abdi, Visa Services Manager at the Foreign Relations Office, Abubakar Mohamed Ali, Head of Airport Inland Revenue, Abdiqadir Abdi Soodaal (Abtid)
The following people are currently out of the country and will face charges in their absence: Head of the Legal and Employee Relations Department in the Foreign Relations Office, Abdirahman Abdi Karin Ibrahim Abdullahi Dahir Weheliye, Aadan Cadde Airport Cashier, Abdiwahid Muhsin Ibrahim, Foreign Relations Office Employee, Muhiyadiin Hassan Julus (Saabey), Director of Inland Revenue Mohamed Idris Ahmed, Director of Indirect Tax at the Ministry of Finance, Mohamed Adan Jimale (Koofi), Former Director of Immigration, Abdiqadir Cilmi Ali, Current Director of Immigration, Mohamed Ali Adle, Former Director at the Foreign Relations Office, and Abubakar Hassan Aadan, Former Head of Document Verification, Visa Extension Department at the Foreign Relations Office.
The suspects have been charged with forgery, theft, corruption, and misappropriation of public funds. According to the attorney general, their acts have caused considerable harm to society and displayed a blatant disdain for their obligations while abusing their positions within the government.
As Somalia rebuilds and strengthens its institutions, combating corruption is a critical objective for the country’s prosperity and the well-being of its population.
The declaration by the Attorney General is part of the government’s continued efforts to eliminate corruption and increase openness in the country. After decades of violence and turmoil, the government has been attempting to improve its institutions and reconstruct the country.
The international community, particularly the United Nations and the African Union, has backed the government’s anti-corruption initiatives.
The UN has been assists the government with technical assistance and capacity-building in order to bolster its anti-corruption tools.