The Gender-based Violence (GBV) Court in Juba on Friday sentenced a man to 10 years in prison for raping and impregnating a 15-year-old girl in Terekeka County in Central Equatoria State in January.
The judge presiding, Andrew Joshua Ladu, found Charles Taban James, guilty under Section 247 of the South Sudan Penal Code Act 2008 for raping a 15-year-old minor (names withheld).
He said the prosecution proved beyond reasonable that the accused forcefully defiled a minor and made her pregnant.
“The prosecution has proved all the ingredients of the offense beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed sexual intercourse with the girl underage 15 years old resulted in her pregnancy and she lacked conscience and this was an intentional unlawful act,” the Judge ruled.
However, after issuing his ruling, Judge Ladu asked the defendant to speak and show cause for the court to be lenient.
In his response, Taban said he was sick and appealed to the judge to give him a lenient sentence.
Meanwhile, a relative of the victim told the judge that the law should be applied to the letter.
After listening from both sides, the judge sentenced the accused to 10 years in prison and a fine of SSP 1 million to be paid to his victim’s family.
“After the court listened to the plea of the accused, the court sentences Charles Taban James to 10 years imprisonment with effect from 1 Sept 2023 under section 247 of the South Sudan Penal Code Act 2008,” Judged Ladu read. “The accused is to pay the victim’s family SSP 1 million. The convict has the right to appeal the judgment.”