Senior official gets 7 years in jail for rape in Torit

The high court in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State in Torit on Monday sentenced a senior state government official to seven years in prison for rape.

Early last month, a senior local government official and a businesswoman were detained by police in Torit town for aiding the defilement of a 17-year-old girl.

Major Justin Kleopus Takuru, the Eastern Equatoria state police spokesman, told Radio Tamazuj that the businesswoman was also charged with three years in prison but was later fined to pay SSP 120,000 SSP after deliberations over her family.

"The court charged the executive administrator with seven years in jail because it is a rape crime plus seven herds of cattle to be paid to the relatives and four goats. Also, the woman who participated to aid this rape, was charged with three years in jail but another compromise from the court came because this woman has young kids of 2 years, 4 years, finally, she was told to pay 120,000 SSP charges," he added.

The police spokesperson urges the population to cooperate with organized forces by reporting any crimes in the community.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director for Eastern Vision on rehabilitation and development agency or EVRDA, a civil society organization in Eastern Equatoria State Oryema Emmanuel welcomes the court decision saying the convict must serve his term to completion.

“As leaders, we must be exemplary in society and changes can come from us. We want the public to know that there is nobody above the law. Things to do with crimes related to sexual harassment or rape and all these are big crimes which not acceptable. Anybody who does this must face the law," he asserted.

The activist urged that the public official be dismissed from holding any public office after serving his term.

According to police in Torit, the businesswoman and the acting Chief Executive Director of Torit Municipality 35-year-old Clement Lino were arrested after the young girl reported the case.