One convicted for sexually assaulting a minor
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 27 2018: Gaiphulshillu Golmei, Judge, Special Court, POCSO, Imphal East, convicted one Ningthoujam Preffi (25) under section 4 of POCSO Act for sexually assaulting a minor girl and fixed December 3 for the sentence hearing to announce the quantum of punishment against the convict.

The judgment was announced in an open Court today after it was kept reserved on October 30 following the final argument hearing of the case.

The convict Ningthoujam Prem Meitei s/o N Then Meitei of Bamon Kampu Hirom Leikai, who is on bail in connection with the case, was present inside the Court along with his counsel during the announcement of the judgment order today.

The case began against the convict after a complaint was lodged by the mother of the minor victim on March 30, 2016, before Women PS, Imphal East, claiming that the previous day (March 29), at around 4 pm, her daughter was kidnapped by the convict from their gate to make her his wife without the consent of the minor.

Thereafter the victim was rescued the same day.

During the course of the investigation, the convict admitted to the charges levelled against him and revealed that he had called out the minor from the residence arid established sexual relation with her by wrongfully confining her at the house of an unknown passenger auto driver.

The 10 of the case, Sub Inspector Nambram Memtu Devi of Women PS, Imphal East, after completion of the investigation and on finding prima facie materials against the convict, submitted a charge sheet befpre the Special Court, POCSO, Imphal East for the trial under different sections of POCSO Act.

The charges were framed against the convict on June 20 last year however the convict claimed innocence and prayed for a trial.

The Court recorded the statements of 11 prosecution witnesses and also recorded the statement as well as examined some defense witnesses during the trial.

After the examination of the witnesses, the argument hearing between the PP and the counsel of the convict began from July 25, and during the argument hearing, the PP submitted that there are ample evidences on record against the convict and prayed for convicting Prem.

On the other hand, the defense counsel of the convict submitted that the evidence on record substantiate charges more toward section 4 of POCSO Act and also argued that the convict merely saved the victim which in turn landed him in the present situation and as such prayed for acquitting him.

The Court, after hearing both counsels and on going through .the materials on record, convicted Ningthoujam Prem under section 4 of POCSO Act and fixed December 3 for the sentence hearing.

Soon after the announcement of the judgment, the convict was taken into police custody and taken away to Sajiwa Central Jail.

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