Accused rapist of minor gets 27 year sentence

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 31 March 2004, 00:10 GMT]
The Vavuniya High Court Tuesday sentenced an absconding accused, Chelliah Sivaji, 24, to 27 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for the abduction and rape of an eight years-old girl, and ordered the accused to pay 20,000 rupees as compensation to the victim and 3,000 rupees to the court, sources in Vavuniya said.

The accused was arrested on July 5, 2000, in Punthoddam in the Vavuniya. The High Court Judge, Mr. Jermiah Viswanatahn, ordered the police to arrest the accused immediately and imprison him separately on two counts—7 years of RI for the abduction of a minor and 20 years of RI for the sexual assault of a minor. If the accused fails to pay the financial compensation, he will face an additional year of RI for each count.

In her testimony, the victim said that on the day of the said incident, she was returning to her home with a friend, and as the sun was scorching, she entered a house asking for water to drink. But when she asked for water, the accused took her forcibly inside and sexually assaulted her.

When her friend tried to enter the house on hearing her cries, the accused threatened the friend with knife and she ran way. The accused then continued to assault the victim.

The victim’s friend confirmed the account of the victim in her testimony, and said that after she went out and waited, the victim came back with blood on her white dress.

The doctor who examined the girl, Dr.M.M. Mohideen, testified that the girl sustained severe injuries in the sexual assault and needed 10 stitches and a pint of blood.

At the end of the hearing, the judge said that the charges against the accused were proved beyond any doubt and delivered the sentence.