Somaliland: Police Dragnet for Killers Nabs 48 Hard-core Criminals

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Police in the capital city responds with force after two women are murdered within a fortnightGen Fadal  says murders under investigation

By: Yusuf M Hasan

HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Following the brutal death of two unsuspecting and innocent women as well as a spate of petty crimes police in Hargeisa have finally taken action.

According to the police commissioner Brigadier General Fadal 48 criminals have been arrested in various estates of the capital city and shall soon be arraigned in court.

“Most of the forty eight arrested were in possession of diverse weaponry like daggers etc. which they use to rob” Said Gen Fadal

While acknowledging that petty crimes especially the robbing of cell phones is on the rise in the capital city, the security chief said police are now in extra vigilance with increased patrols especially at night when the robbers are known to waylay innocent citizens.

The arrest of these criminals comes a few days after over 400 convicts whose sentences were below two years were pardoned by the head of state as part of commemorations of the 22nd anniversary of Somaliland’s independence

Meanwhile a young girl returning home from evening classes was killed by persons yet unknown in Jigjiga yar estate a couple of days after a similar misfortune befell a housewife in Ga’anta estate. To date the killer or killers of the two innocent women remain at-large.

“We have taken seriously the brutal matters and no stone shall be left in unearthing not only the motive but those behind these heinous acts” said Gen Fadal who also clarified that the reported death of a man was from natural causes and not murder.

Refusing to divulge further information the police commissioner revealed that his investigators have very good and strong leads as per the murder of the two women which might be compromised if publicized.

Stop Violence against womenWhile it is suffice to say that the police with ample assistance from the community have always ended on top of crimes and criminals the incident of the two murdered women raises questions especially as pertains to increased gender based Violence-GBV.

A number of bizarre cases of have been reported in g the recent past of note being the incident in Burao town that saw a man butcher his newly wed wife before absconding while in Hargeisa where a father murdered his four children and wife before a failed attempt on his life.

While both the wife killers were apprehended immediately the increasing cases of violence against women has raised concerns with the result that women vowed to eliminate GBV during commemorations of the international women’s day 2013.