Hargeisa Court Sentences Musician Mubaarik Oktoober to 16 Months for Assaulting Wife Farhiya Fiska
HARGEISA, North Western State of Somalia — A district court in Hargeisa on Tuesday sentenced musician Mubaarik Ahmed Yusuf, known professionally as Mubaarik Oktoober, to one year and four months in prison after finding him guilty of assault and bodily harm against his wife, fellow singer Farhiya Ahmed Addaawe Geedi, widely known as Farhiya Fiska.
In a written ruling dated Feb. 17, 2026, the Hargeisa District Court convicted Mubaarik under Article 440(1) of the Penal Code, which covers offenses causing bodily injury. The court ordered that his prison term be calculated from the date of his arrest on Jan. 18, 2026, and directed him to pay civil compensation to the victim. The judgment is subject to appeal within the period allowed by law.
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The court instructed the commander of Hargeisa Central Prison to detain the defendant until he completes his sentence and to ensure the civil damages are paid.
The case — which drew intense public attention across North Western State of Somalia, especially on social media — followed allegations Farhiya made publicly earlier this month. In a Feb. 5 interview, she said her husband attacked her and locked her in a room for nearly four hours, describing extensive injuries and lingering pain.
“What happened to me is not a small thing. I did not expect it,” she said at the time. “There is no healthy part of my body. He strangled me, and he wanted to kill me. My throat still hurts.”
Farhiya said Mubaarik was initially arrested after the incident and later released on bail, and that she filed a formal complaint to pursue the case through the courts. Authorities subsequently rearrested him ahead of Tuesday’s conviction, according to the court’s order establishing Jan. 18 as the start date for the custodial term.
The ruling arrives amid growing calls from women’s rights advocates and community leaders for firmer accountability in domestic violence cases. While the court’s decision addresses the criminal elements of the assault, the order for civil compensation underscores the parallel pursuit of damages for harm suffered, a remedy provided under the Penal Code and civil law procedures.
The judgment did not specify the amount of compensation, and the court’s announcement focused on the legal basis for the conviction, the sentence calculation, and the directive to prison authorities. Under North Western State of Somalia’s criminal procedure, the defense has the right to appeal both the conviction and sentence within the statutory timeline. As of Tuesday, neither side had publicly commented on whether an appeal would be filed.
Both artists are well known in North Western State of Somalia’s music scene, and the case prompted a wave of reactions online as fans and rights groups shared messages of solidarity with Farhiya and urged survivors of domestic abuse to come forward. Advocates have also pressed for stronger enforcement mechanisms and clearer pathways to protection orders, shelters, and medical services in cases of intimate partner violence.
Tuesday’s verdict marks a significant legal step in a case that moved unusually quickly through the criminal process, from complaint to conviction in just over a month. It also puts renewed focus on how allegations of domestic violence are handled by police and the courts — from initial response and bail decisions to ensuring victim safety and restitution — as the matter transitions into the appellate window.
- Defendant: Mubaarik Ahmed Yusuf (aka Mubaarik Oktoober)
- Victim: Singer Farhiya Ahmed Addaawe Geedi (aka Farhiya Fiska)
- Court: Hargeisa District Court
- Charge: Article 440(1), Penal Code (bodily harm)
- Sentence: 1 year, 4 months (from Jan. 18, 2026)
- Civil compensation: Ordered by the court
- Status: Judgment subject to appeal
As the legal process continues, the case remains a focal point in North Western State of Somalia’s public discourse about domestic violence, legal redress, and the responsibilities of the justice system in protecting victims.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
