The Gender-Based Violence Court in Malakal, Upper Nile State, on Thursday sentenced a South Sudan People's Defence Forces soldier to seven years imprisonment for raping a minor.
Presiding Judge Andrew Joshua Lado said the accused was found guilty of raping a minor and has been convicted under Article 247 of the 2008 Penal Code for South Sudan, effective from April 1, 2021.
The judge also ordered the convict, Peter Lollak Angoli to pay 500,000 SSP as compensation to the complainant.
The convict has 15 days to appeal the ruling, Judge Joshua said.
However, the defense lawyer Suhaila Deng said the judgment against her client is unfair and she and her team will appeal the ruling.
Suhaila claimed the evidence brought before the court said was not strong enough to warrant such judgment.