Commonwealth v. Abukar

OPINION OF THE COURT BY

JUSTICE VENTERS

Appellee, Mohamud Abukar, a United States citizen and a native of Somalia, was convicted of first degree rape in Kenton Circuit Court and sentenced to twelve years in prison. The Court of Appeals reversed the judgment upon its conclusion that the trial court’s failure to provide Abukar with a Somali interpreter for his rape trial violated KRS 30A.410.1

The Commonwealth sought discretionary review of that decision, arguing that the trial court properly acted within its discretion when it denied Abukar’s request for an interpreter at the trial of the case.…