KOCHI: The Ernakulum Additional District
and Sessions Court (for trial of cases
relating to atrocities and sexual violence
against women and children) on Friday
awarded life imprisonment to an
Ayyampuzha-native for sexually abusing a
four-year-old girl.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 1.25
lakh on Prakashan, 52. Raising concern
over the increasing incidence of sexual
assault against minors, the court said the
accused did not deserve any leniency. He
was also awarded seven years’
imprisonment under various Sections of
the POCSO Act.
Prosecutor B Sandhya Rani submitted
that Prakashan, who raped the girl in April
2015, deserved maximum punishment.
The incident occurred after the girl’s
mother left the child with a neighbour,
before going to the plantation where she
worked. Though the child informed the
matter to its parents soon after the
incident, she could not identify the
accused initially. Later, she identified the
accused at a function.
The prosecution said a witness had seen
the accused taking the child from the
place where she was playing on the day.
The court also asked the victim’s mother
to move the Kerala State Legal Services
Authority to have the compensation
increased.
The case was investigated by the
Ayyampuzha Police. The court examined
statements of 13 witnesses, including the
victim.
Rape