Somali president's son fined in Turkey for deadly car crash; accountability concerns and potential diplomatic impact arise.

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Somali president's son fined in Turkey for deadly car crash; accountability concerns and potential diplomatic impact arise.

Mohamed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's penalty has been revised to a fine of approximately $900, as determined by a tribunal in Turkey. The individual, identified as the offspring of Somalia's President Hassan Ali Sheikh Mohamud, was initially fac

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Mohamed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's penalty has been revised to a fine of approximately $900, as determined by a tribunal in Turkey. The individual, identified as the offspring of Somalia's President Hassan Ali Sheikh Mohamud, was initially facing a 2.5-year imprisonment term, but this has been replaced with a monetary penalty.

Prosecutors had initially sought a sentence of up to six years in jail for Mohamed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The Istanbul tribunal, however, decided on a fine of 27,300 Turkish lira ($900), according to state media reports. Notably, Mohamed was not present during the trial, and in addition to the fine, his driving license has been suspended for six months.

The charges against Mohamed included "negligently causing death" in connection to a collision involving a diplomatic vehicle he was operating and a motorbike messenger, Yunus Emre Gocer, in Istanbul on November 30.

Following Gocer's death six days later, an arrest warrant was issued for Mohamed, but he had already left Turkey by December 2. Last week, Mohamed returned to Turkey for testimony, leading to the lifting of the arrest warrant and travel restrictions after he provided a statement to court officials. He was subsequently released.

Despite Mohamed's denial of negligence, asserting that the motorbike abruptly stopped, the police report contradicted his statement. It stated that Gocer, a father of two, did not violate any traffic rules, and the car driver was primarily at fault.

Gocer's father intends to challenge the decision to commute the sentence, as conveyed by his lawyer Tugba Aydin after the hearing. The Courier Rights Association's Mesut Ceki raised concerns about the fairness of the decision, questioning whether the worth of a motorcycle courier's life could be reduced to $27,000 Turkish lira when the other party was deemed 75 percent responsible.

In Turkey's legal system, prison sentences are occasionally replaced with fines. Gocer's death had the potential to strain the amicable relations between Turkey and Somalia. Somalia's president, addressing the situation last month, emphasized that his child, a physician, did not escape Turkey, and he instructed him to present himself in court.

The president further underscored Turkey's commitment to justice and the judicial system, stating, "Turkey is a fraternal nation, and as Somalia's president, I'll never permit anyone to undermine this country’s judicial system." Turkey has sought to enhance its influence in Somalia over the past decade, standing as the leading economic partner for the Horn of Africa nation, particularly in the fields of construction, education, and health.

Ankara Office - Warsheekh Media Center