Somalia’s Puntland State executes woman convicted of killing 14-year-old domestic worker in Galkacyo

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Puntland State authorities on Tuesday executed a woman convicted of murdering a 14-year-old girl after the victim’s family chose retributive justice under Islamic law, a rare application of the death penalty against a woman in the semi-autonomous region.

Officials said the execution was carried out in Galkacyo, a divided city in central Somalia, after courts found Hodan Mohamud guilty of killing Sabirin Saylaan Abdille, a minor who had been working as a domestic helper. Judges ruled that Sabirin died as a result of prolonged and severe abuse. Security officials said video footage recovered from Mohamud’s mobile phone showed acts of extreme violence against the girl and was central to securing the conviction.

Authorities said the sentence was imposed under qisas, an Islamic legal principle allowing a murder victim’s family to demand execution of the perpetrator rather than accept financial compensation. Puntland State officials said the decision followed a standing decree in the Mudug region requiring the application of Islamic law in murder cases, a measure introduced to stem recurring killings in Galkacyo.

Galkacyo is split between the Puntland State and Galmudug administrations and has long been plagued by insecurity and intercommunal tensions. Regional officials said the enforcement of qisas is intended to deter violent crime amid repeated appeals from elders and civic leaders for stronger rule of law.

Puntland State authorities described the case as the first in more than a decade in which a woman has been executed under a retaliatory sentence for murder. The last known executions in the region took place in 2013, when 13 members of the al-Shabab extremist group — including one woman — were put to death for their role in the assassination of Dr. Ahmed Haji Abdirahman, a prominent Islamic scholar.

Sabirin’s killing last year drew widespread outrage across Puntland State, with activists, elders and community leaders calling for accountability and stronger protections for children and domestic workers. Advocacy groups said the case underscores the vulnerability of domestic workers — often girls working in private homes with little oversight — and urged tighter enforcement of existing laws, public awareness campaigns and accessible reporting mechanisms for abuse.

Officials did not provide further details about the execution, including the method used, but emphasized that the proceedings followed regional legal directives and court rulings upholding the family’s right to seek retribution under Islamic law. No information was immediately available about whether any appeals were filed by the defense prior to the sentence being carried out.

The case has renewed debate in Somalia over the balance between customary, Islamic and statutory legal frameworks, particularly in regions where local decrees aim to curb violence but formal institutions remain limited. Legal analysts said the use of qisas in high-profile cases can reinforce deterrence but also places renewed scrutiny on due process, evidentiary standards and the protection of vulnerable populations — especially children employed in domestic work.

As public attention turns to prevention, community leaders urged stronger coordination between authorities, religious scholars and civil society to address household labor exploitation and to ensure that early warnings of abuse are acted upon. For many in Puntland State, Sabirin’s death has become a rallying point for reforms intended to safeguard minors and stabilize a city where insecurity has too often forced families to seek justice outside conventional courts.

By Ali Musa

Axadle Times international–Monitoring.