12 November 2012

Suai District Court sentences man to ten years jail for the attempted sexual abuse of a minor

ETLJB  12 November 2012 - Case 135/PEN/2012/TDS was heard by the Suai District Court ended with the accused being sentenced to a ten year jail term for the attempted sexual abuse of a 11 year old child.

“JSMP congratulates the court and appreciates its decision for handing down such a sentence because it enforces the State’s commitment to protect children from any kind of violence,” said Luis de Oliveira Sampaio, Executive Director for the Justice System Monitoring Program (JSMP) recently in Dili.

The Court charged the accused under Articles 24 and 177.2 which deals with the sexual abuse of minors. The charge carries a sentence between 5 and 15 years imprisonment.

The Court gave the accused a period of fifteen days to lodge an appeal.

The hearing was presided over by Judge Costãnçio Barros Basmery with Judges Oscar Silva Tavares and João Henrique de Carvalho representing the prosecution and Defence respectively.

MP Mateus de Jesus it was up to the Courts to decide on what kind of sentence would be handed down.

“It is clearly stated on the Penal Code that anyone, attempting to sexually abuse a minor should be jailed for more than ten years and the Court was justified in handing down the sentence,” said MP de Jesus.

He hoped after serving the sentence the accused would change his ways because it was neither good for him nor his family.



Source: The Dili Weekly

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