Somalia jails four government officials for stealing Covid-19 funds
The case arose in April, just a month after Somalia reported its first case of Covid-19. At that time, the Ministry of Health revealed that a number of officials were under investigation for diverting public money.
The Banadir Regional Court, which covers crimes committed in Mogadishu and surrounding locations, found the four guilty following a case that drew public scrutiny in the use of the funds.
The jailing of the officials could sound a rare warning in a country largely considered one of the most corrupt in Africa.
A 2019 report by watchdog Transparency International, the Corruption Perceptions Index, listed Somalia as the most corrupt of the 180 countries polled.
Mogadishu,
A Somali court on Monday sentenced four government officials to jail for having a hand in the theft of public funds meant for Covid-19 emergency response.
