Turkish court convicts Somali president’s son over motorcyclist’s death, commutes sentence to fine

ISTANBUL (AP) — A Turkish court on Tuesday convicted the son of Somalia’s president over the death of a motorcycle courier and sentenced him to 2 1/2 years in prison. The sentence, however, was immediately commuted to a fine.

Mohammed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was charged with “causing death by negligence” after a diplomatic car he was driving hit Yunus Emre Gocer on a highway in Istanbul on Nov. 30. An arrest warrant was issued for Mohamud after Gocer died six days later, but the president’s son had already left Turkey.

Mohamud reportedly returned to Turkey last week to testify about the accident. The arrest warrant and a travel ban imposed on Mohamud were revoked after he gave a statement to court officials, the DHA news agency reported. He was then released by the court, the agency said.

On Tuesday, the Istanbul court convicted Mohamud, who was not present, of the charge of negligent death and ruled that he be fined 27,300 Turkish lira ($910). His driver’s license was revoked for six months.

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Prosecutors had requested that Mohamud be sentenced to up to six years in prison.

The motorcyclist’s death had threatened to sour friendly relations between Turkey and Somalia. Turkey launched an investigation into officials who conducted the initial crash investigation and reportedly allowed Mohamud to go free.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud told The Associated Press last month that his 40-year-old son, who is a doctor, did not flee Turkey and said he had advised him to present himself to court.

“Turkey is a brotherly country,” the president said. “We respect the laws and the justice and the judicial system. As a president of Somalia, I will never allow anybody to violate this country’s judicial system.”

Turkey has built close ties with Somalia since 2011, when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — then prime minister — visited the East African nation in a show of support as Somalis suffered from severe drought. Turkey has provided humanitarian aid, built infrastructure and opened a military base in Somalia where it has trained officers and police.