Kamogelo Olaitan
A convicted murderer in Somaliland was spared from execution after his family paid 100 camels as compensation minutes before the firing squad was given its orders.
The family of the murderer, who has not been named, had an agreement with the family of his victim to compensate them for their relative’s murder.
In the country’s traditional justice system, the compensation for a man’s murder is 100 camels, but money is often used instead because of a decline in the number of camels available in recent years.
The man was among five others convicted of murder who were about to be executed on Tuesday in the Madheera area, north-east of Hargeisa.
According to BBC Africa, minutes before the firing squad were given their orders, elders from the families of both the murderer and the victim arrived at the execution site and untied him from a pole.
The other four convicts were shot dead.
Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia, is known for last-minute interventions at execution sites.
The system has been criticised as people from rich families can afford to buy their freedom while the poor can’t.
Image source: @LiveScience
