After months of postponements, the Supreme Court in the breakaway republic of Somaliland today processed the death sentence against the Norwegian citizen Saad Jirde Hayd (55).
For just over three hours, the appeals committee of the Supreme Court in Somaliland considered the question of the death penalty for Saad Jirde Hayd.
Evidence
Hayd has twice before been sentenced to death by shooting, by the judges of the local district court, and what corresponds to the Norwegian Court of Appeal in the capital Hargeisa has unanimously sentenced the Norwegian citizen to death.
Saad Jirde Hayd is accused of killing a man, and is alleged to have used a so-called defense spray – bought at a Clas Ohlson store in Oslo.
THE KILLING WEAPON: The Somaliland authorities believe this defense spray was the killing weapon. Photo: Hargeisa Police
view more
The lawyers Farid Bouras and Hibo Adam from the law firm Elden were present during the appeal hearings in the Supreme Court in Hargeisa. They were not allowed to speak or prosecute on behalf of their client.
There were two local lawyers who defended and argued for the Norwegian citizen.
Ampert
The prosecution protested that the Norwegian lawyers were present, a protest the Supreme Court judges rejected.
The prosecution upheld the claim of the death penalty for Saad Jirde Hayd, believing the evidence was clear and that the only appropriate punishment was a death sentence.
Dagbladet gets confirmation that at times it was rather amp in court, especially when the prosecution made it clear that they thought Norwegian lawyers had nothing to do in Somaliland.
Did not speak
– Our Somali colleagues asked the Supreme Court in Somaliland to give a clear signal that the defense spray will be analyzed at a medical institute in Hargeisa, and that the result of the analysis will be sent to the court, says lawyer Farid Bouras.
Neither Bouras nor his colleague Hibo Adam were allowed to take order. They were allowed to be present as observers. Norwegian authorities, through Chargé d’affaires Håkon Svane from the embassy office in Mogadishu in Somalia, were also present during the court proceedings.
– Good job
– Our Somali colleagues who defended Saad Jirde Hayd did a good job, and were able to present his case, says lawyer Hibo Adam to Dagbladet.
– We now hope for a full acquittal, and that the court understands that the accusations against Saad Jirde Hayd are incorrect, says lawyer Farid Bouras to Dagbladet.
NOT POPULAR: The prosecution in the case against the Norwegian sentenced to death did not like that Norwegian lawyers were present during the court proceedings. Here represented by lawyer Farid Bouras. Photo: Henning Lillegård / Dagbladet
view more
Saad Jirde Hayd was present in court, despite the fact that he has been hospitalized with heart and kidney problems in recent days.
Two questions
– Saad Jirde Hayd was allowed to answer two questions from the judges. Beyond that, he sat and listened to the arguments from both the prosecution, which will sentence him to death, and from the defenders who are trying to prove his innocence, says Farid Bouras.
The appeals committee of the Supreme Court in Somaliland, which is now considering whether Saad Jirde Hayd should be sentenced to death, or released, consists of four legal judges and one sharia judge.
– The hearing went as planned with 5 judges, of which one sharia judge. We are now awaiting the result, says lawyer Farid Bouras.
–
