The former president of Somalia region, Abdi Mohamoud Omar, commonly known as ‘Abdi Iley’, was released from prison, his lawyer said.

Abdi Iley was arrested in August 2018 in Addis Ababa, shortly after stepping down as the region’s president, and accused of inciting violence in his volatile region. He was freed on Thursday after the prosecution dropped the charges, confirmed his lawyer, Eskinder Gezahegn.

Abdi Iley, who held authority over the Somali region for years before Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power, has been implicated in numerous human rights violations, instances of violence, and mismanagement of state resources in the region. He allegedly commanded his special paramilitary Leyu forces to engage in acts of kidnapping, torture, and sexual abuse against political rivals and critics.

Among the charges leveled against the former regional leader was that in August 2018, he allegedly “organized a group of youths known as ‘Hego’ to foment civil unrest within the Somali region.” These accusations arose following clashes in the regional capital Jijiga and nearby towns, which resulted in the deaths of dozens, as well as significant damage to property and churches.

In addition to Abdi, other defendants, including Major General Kinfe Dagnew, a former head of the military-run Metals and Engineering Corporation (METEC), have been acquitted and released. Kinfe was arrested in 2018 on accusations of corruption and human rights abuses. The Ministry of Justice has announced its decision to drop the charges against Kinfe in the interest of lasting public interest, as reported by the state television station. However, no specific explanation has been provided regarding the public interests at stake.

Kinfe Dagnew was arrested near the Sudanese border while attempting to flee in November 2018.