LANDMARK RULING: Four senior health officials get 5-18 years in graft scam

Banaadir Regional Court Monday morning sent a chilling warning to corrupt public officials when it slapped the Director General in the Ministry of Health Abdullahi Ali to nine years behind bars and banished him eternally from public office.

The Court also fined him $2,366 for violating articles 241 and 363 of the Public Officers Act.

The Court held that Ali had offended Article 241 by diverting public money for personal use in addition to article 363 which makes it criminal for one to use ‘genuine instruments for public authentication for profit or to prejudice others’. This attracts up to three years in jail.

To ensure Ali got company in the freezer, the court also shoved in Mohamed Bulle Mohamud, Mahdi Abshir Mohamed and Bashir Abdi Nur.

Mohamud who served as the Finance Director got the harshest penalty with 18 years in jail, fine of $2,366 and forced to kiss a goodbye to public office. The Court held that Mohamud had offended 241, 363 and 275. The latter states thus: Art. 375. (Falsification of Private Deed). – 1. – Whoever, for the purpose of procuring for himself of another any advantage, or of causing harm to another, makes wholly or in part, a false private deed, or alters a genuine private deed, shall be punished, if he makes use of it or allows another to make use of it, with imprisonment from six months.

Mahdi Abshir who served as an accountant for a health promotion programme was found guilty under similar articles as Mohamud got 12 years, $2,366 fine and banned from public office.

The fourth defendant, Bashir Nur an accountant for a Malaria and HIV/AIDS programme will cool his heels in the freezer for threes years and will not be allowed to serve in public office for five years. He will also return $1,183 to the state.

The court acquitted five other suspects for lack of incriminating evidence. The officials were arrested in April following claims of diversion of funds in the ministry of Health.