SHILLONG, Sept 28 - A Meghalaya court has sentenced a man convicted of raping a minor school girl to 10 years rigorous imprisonment after a Fast Track Court had acquitted him.
On November 30, 2011, Small Phawa raped the 14-year-old in a forested area after abducting her. The minor was staying as a tenant along with her parents in Phawa�s house at Riatsiatsim in West Jaintia Hills district.
In a judgment pronounced on Tuesday, District and Sessions Court in West Jaintia Hills Judge B Giri said: �Taking into consideration the nature of the offence, ends of justice will be met if the accused is sentenced to a period of 10 years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 5,000 and in default of payment of fine the accused is to serve another one year simple imprisonment.�
In 2015, the Fast Track Court in Jowai acquitted Phawa after the prosecution failed to establish or prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.
However, the victim�s mother approached the Meghalaya High Court, which transferred the case to the district session court of West Jaintia Hills and ordered retrial. � IANS
