Rape accused convicted after 21 years
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 20 2019:
Justice was finally delivered 21 years after a rape with Additional Session Judge of the Fast Track Court, Binny Ngangom convicting a rape accused for a crime committed back on July 30, 1998 .
The Court also fixed December 30 for the sentence hearing.
The convict is identified as one Ginsuonmung Zou alias Ginmung Zou of Tangizol village, Singngat in Churachandpur district.
The judgment was announced today after it was kept reserved from November 21 after the final hearing of the trail case against the convict Ginsuonmung Zou.
After committing the crime, the convict was on the run and was finally arrested on October 24, 2016, eighteen years after the crime.
The case was on against the convict after a written complaint was lodged by the father of the victim before the OC Imphal Police Station on July 31, 1998 stating that his minor then 6 years old daughter was raped by the convict the previous night inside a latrine at Old Lambulane.
On the basis of the complaint, a regular case was registered and after the completion of the investigation the charge sheet was submitted before the Court on March 27, 2002 .
However as the convict could not be arrested, the investigation proceeded with the accused named as an absconder.
The convict was produced only on October 24, 2016 by Singnat police and he was remanded to judicial custody thereafter.
During the trial, the Court recorded and cross examined the statement of 11 prosecution witnesses produced by the prosecution and no defence witness was produced from the side of the convict.
After hearing the submission of the Special PP and defence counsel of the convict and on perusal of the case dairy and other mitigating factors, the Court observed that the prosecution has proven the commission of offence punishable under section 376 IPC (Rape) .
The Court held that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt against Ginsuonmung Zou and convicted him for rape of a minor under section 376 IPC and fixed December 30 for the sentence hearing.