11 December 2012

Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Years Imprisonment

ETLJB 11 December 2012 - A child sex offender has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Suai District Court.

According to a report by The Dili Weekly published on 30 November, 2012, the court's verdict was handed down on 10 October 2012 against the offender whose initials are SA for the sexual assault of a minor who was aged 11 years old. The offences were committed in the village of Loro, in the Suco of Suai Loro, Suai Subdistrict in Covalima District.

The judgement of the court referred to a medical report and evidence from the offender and the victim that showed that the offender suffered from a mental illness.

The Public Prosecutor charged the accused under articles 24 and 177 of the Penal Code Ministry relating to the sexual assault of minors and which provide for a penalty of between 5 and 25 years imprisonment.

The Dili Weekly quoted the Executive Director of the Judicial System Monitoring Program, Mr Luis de Oliveira Sampaio, in commenting on the case, that “JSMP is aware that there is an issue of impunity due to the presence of psychological anomaly in this case. The decision was however manifested in the courts commitment to manage priorities in the good interest of all children, as well as to protect all children from any kind of violence against them.”

This case was registered with the Process Number: 78/PEN/2012/TDS with the Court's decision read by international judge Judge Pedro Rapoza Figuereiro.

The Public Prosecutor was represented by Prosecutor Oscar Silva Tavares and the accused was defended by Public Defender lawyer, Joao Henrique de Carvalho.

Member of Parliament Mrs. Josefa Alvares Soares was reported by The Dili Weekly as stating that the outcome of the case was just because the law strongly prohibits people from sexually assaulting minors.  

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Source: The Dili Weekly. Edited by Warren L. Wright

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