MOGADISHU, Somalia – Two Somali military officers were accused of authorizing an unauthorized surgery that led to the death of a pregnant woman, Nimco Muse Ahmed, who was at full term, judicial officials said.
Mohamed Mukhtiin Ali and Abdisalaan Hussein Mohamed were charged with signing off on a C-section procedure at Digfeer Hospital in Mogadishu, despite lacking any legal or familial authority to do so. The surgery was performed on March 31, resulting in the death of the woman, local officials said.
According to the prosecution, the two men, who were known to the deceased only as acquaintances, accompanied her to multiple hospitals, all of which reportedly confirmed that the fetus was no longer alive and that surgical intervention was required.
When they returned to Digfeer Hospital, citing an inability to cover medical expenses, hospital administrators allegedly agreed to perform the procedure free of charge.
However, Somali law requires that only legal guardians or immediate family members — such as a husband or parent — can authorize such medical procedures.
The two soldiers signed the consent forms, presenting themselves respectively as the husband and brother of the deceased, authorities said.
Following an investigation by the Military Prosecutor’s Office, formal charges were requested and accepted on September 20.
After hearing the case and granting sufficient time to both prosecution and defense, the Military Court ultimately released the two officers on Thursday, citing a lack of sufficient legal grounds for continued detention.
