10 November 2012

Teacher sentenced to ten years jail for rape of student

ETLJB  10 November 2012 - The Dili weekly reported on 7 November 2012 a case in which a teacher called Inocencio L. Guterres was sentenced by the Baucau District Court on 4 October to ten years jail term for raping his student, Ana Maria Viana. The rape occurred on 24 September 2012 at Samalari, sub-District of Baguia, District of Baucau.

East Timor's peak law and justice civil society organisation, the Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP), expressed satisfaction with the sentence handed down by the Court because it reflects the seriousness of the crime and will serve as a deterrent for anyone even contemplating such crime,” said Luis de Olivera Sampaio, Executive Director of the JSMP, recently in Dili.

The Prosecutor charged the accused under Article 177 of the Penal Code which deals with sexual abuse of minors.

The court was told the accused went to the victim’s house on the night of 4 September 2010 and forced her to undress and have sexual intercourse. The man denied the allegations throughout the hearing.

After thorough consideration of the circumstantial evidence, the Court found the accused guilty of sexual abuse of a minor and sentenced him to a ten year jail term.

Member of Parliament Natalino dos Santos said the Court sentenced the man based on the evidence at hand.

“This is the work of a court, the sentence fits the crime. This is a long process with evidence provided and the hearing of witness accounts, so if the court decided after considering all the facts, then the sentence was appropriate,” said the MP, according to The Dili Weekly report.

Souce: The Dili Weekly. Edited and abridged by Warren Wright. Image: Warren Wright 2008 Violasaun Sexual by Arte Moris artist.

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