A soldier from the presidential guard of Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe, has reportedly defected, amid allegations that a vehicle linked to a senior official in the Office of Somalia’s Prime Minister was used to facilitate his escape.
Reliable sources told Banaadir24 Online that a vehicle said to belong to Kamal Guutaale, the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, was used to transport the soldier, who was armed with a PKM machine gun at the time.
The soldier was a member of the close protection unit assigned to President Ahmed Madobe. According to the sources, CCTV footage obtained from security cameras at the presidential palace, Villa Somalia, allegedly shows the vehicle picking up the soldier on the same day talks between the federal government and opposition leaders officially opened.
Sources further confirmed that there had been prior contact between the defecting soldier and individuals within the Office of Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, those individuals are said to have facilitated the escape, which appeared to have been prearranged.
The PKM machine gun has since been returned to the Jubbaland administration. Meanwhile, the driver of the vehicle and another individual who was reportedly inside the car have been arrested in connection with the incident.
No official statement has yet been issued by the Office of the Prime Minister or the Jubbaland presidency regarding the allegations.
