As residents of Berbera and Sheikh towns demonstrate in protest against the ruling by the Somaliland military court.
By: Yusuf M Hasan
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – The saga related to the murder of late Major Abdirizak Yusuf Mohamud Asseyr who was Sahil regional police commander during his death.
The Somaliland court martial sitting in Hargeisa announced that it has found eight of the eleven accused guilty as charged thence condemned to death two months since the case ensued under direction of the Judge-advocate Colonel Yusuf Farah Sharmarke.
The 2nd March 2016 murder of Major Asseyr in the outskirts of Berbera where he was ambushed by heavily armed tribesmen raised acrimonious between the perpetrators and victim’s clan both of who dwell in Sahil region of Somaliland, thus forcing the Government to intervene with might as a prelude to de-escalating tensions.
The death of the late regional police termed as barbaric and unnecessary since his law enforcement duties were not partial to any of the clans saw the whole country uniting behind the administration that honoured him posthumously and accorded him a state burial as well.
While the judgement by the forces court on the eight found guiltily of the slaying is culmination of the legal process with implementation of the death sentence pends presidential signature, the culprits clansmen in Sheikh Town disapprove.
Immediately the sentenced which the defense counsel termed as politically motivated was announced residents of Sheikh town took to the streets demonstrating in protest against the verdict.
The demonstrations in the Town linking Burao to Berbera and in extension east and west Somaliland resulted in damage to a number of vehicles mostly public services ones, and as the storm cooled in the mountainous town, clansmen in Neighbouring Berbera took over.
Though no damage or casualties have been reported till now the violent protests in the coastal city and home to the country’s main port had the police engage demonstrators in running battles.
