Court sentences rapist to 8 years RI
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 13 2018:
Session Judge, Imphal West, sentenced a rape convict, Thongam Rabi to 8 years of rigorous imprisonment apart from imposing a fine of Rs 30,000, today.
The sentence was announced in an open Court following the sentence hearing.
On December 10, Maibam Manojkumar, Session Judge, Imphal West passed the judgment order of the trial case and convicted Thongam Rabi for raping a girl on December 20, 2010 .
Thongam Rabi alias John (32) s/o Th Gouro of Bishnupur Ward No 9, was produced from judicial custody (Manipur Central Jail Sajiwa) for the sentence hearing today.
During the hearing, the Additional PP submitted that Rabi was convicted under section 376 IPC for committing the crime of rape upon the victim, which is a very serious offence, and prayed to award life imprisonment to the convict for his offence adding that no leniency should be given to the convict.
On the other hand, the defense counsel of the convict contended that the incident happened in 2010 and as such, the unamended provision of section 376 IPC will be applicable in the present case and that as per the provision of section 376, the Court has ample power to award minimum sentence as provided under section 376 IPC.
The defense counsel further submitted that the convict is now 32 years old and his family consists of his wife, children and his aged bed ridden father and explained that if Rabi is awarded maximum sentence, his family members will be devastated.
The defense counsel further submitted that there were no criminal charges against the convict prior to the incident and as such prayed for awarding minimum sentence.
After hearing both parries and going through the records of the case, the Court mentioned that the act committed by the convict upon the victim is very inhuman, however the Court has also considered the problem to be faced by the family members of the convict.
As such, the Court decided that it will be reasonable to sentence the convict to 8 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The Court also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 against the convict and ordered that in default of payment of the said fine, the convict has to undergo another 6 months simple imprisonment.
The Court explained that the period which the convict has already spent in judicial custody during the period of investigation as well as during the trial, if any, will be set off from the sentence.
It also recommended a sum of Rs 2 lakh to be paid to the victim as compensation from the scheme known as "Financial assistance and support service scheme to the victim of rape" launched by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.