The accused, Ater Manuer Ater, who is a senior-two student committed the crime in Hai Jebel of Juba suburb in August last year.

According to Judge Francis Amum, the accused young man and the survivor engaged in a love affair, impregnated the girl, and forced her to drop out of school.

Upon indictment, he confessed that he wanted the application of cultural marriage that permit early child marriage and plead not guilty.

Judge Amum said the survivor was below the age of 18-year-old.

The Judge stated that defilement is a form of sexual gender-based violence, discrimination, and a form of torture.

During the court ruling, the Judge found the accused guilty of violating section 247 of the South Sudan 2008 Penal Code Act.

“Convict is sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, attitudes towards women and girls be rehabilitated and integrated into the society where gender equality is at play with effect from 7/ march/2022,” Judge Amum read out the verdict on Monday in Juba.

“The convict must pay to the survivor tune 900,000 SSP, as reparation by means of a civil proceeding,

“The convict is advised that he has a right to enjoy an automatic right of appeal against conviction, legality, and severity of the sentence within 15 days.”

He stated that international law requires states to take all appropriate measures to “modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women.

According to the Judge, this is to eliminate prejudices and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of inferiority or on stereotyped roles for men and women.

The judgment was delivered on Monday by Judge Francis Amum Awin Ayoker at the GBV High court Juba.