Nyamilepedia Correspondent,
Juba, South Sudan
August 24, 2016(Nyamilepedia) — Rejecting the plea of a 29-year-old, the husband, claimed that his six-month pregnant wife, ‘the victim’, needed him at home for a proper care.
After the hearing, which was attended by Nyamielepedia Press, the Juba Magistrate court sentenced the accused to seven years imprisonment as the girl, considered as a minor, was only 16-year-old when the couple got involved.
The couple got married during the course of the trial. The victim, in her evidence, gave a clean chit to the accused.
“She has categorically deposed that the accused was known to her for two years before the alleged incident. They were in contact since then,” the court said.
The testimony of the victim was corroborated by the doctor’s report. The accused, too, admitted the same.
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Yet, the court convicted and sent him to jail stating the girl was a minor at the relevant time.
“No doubt, physical relations were established with the consent of the victim, yet the age of the victim was not such so as to give any valid consent for any consensual relationship,” Additional Sessions Judge Richard Ayoup said.
The accused was arrested on June.09 and charged of rape under section 247 of the south Sudan penal code act 2008, which states “whoever has sexual intercourse or carnal intercourse with another person, against his or her will or without his or her consent, commits the offence of rape, and upon conviction, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years and may also be liable to a fine.”
In this case, Nyamilepedia Press, could not reveal the victim’s identity as she is still under age and could not consent to speak out on this case.
The man has been given 15 days to appeal if he is not satisfied with the ruling, otherwise, he is going to serve his sentence in Juba central prison.
