A South Sudanese soldier seen at unidentified area [Photo by unknown].

Gender-Based Violence Court in Juba has convicted to 10 years in jail, an SSPDF soldier for defiling and impregnating 14-year-old school girl.

Joseph Kon Agok, 24, a member of the SSPDF Ground Forces committed the crime at Kubri Haboba of Gudele residential area in February 2021.

The unnamed survivor delivered a baby on January 1^st this year.

Before the verdict was pronounced on Thursday, Kon pleaded not guilty before the court, saying he never knew the teen was an underage.

But the presiding judge Francis Amum Awin dismissed his plea and found him guilty under section 247/2 of the country’s 2008 Penal Act.

“Convict is sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for defilement in contravention of section 247/2 Penal Act 2008, attitudes towards women and girls be rehabilitated and integrated into the society,” Amum read out the verdict.

Section 247/2 of the Penal Code provides that a man or woman below the age of eighteen is unable to make a reasonable decision.

Convict Kon is also fined one million five hundred thousand South Sudanese pounds in reparation to girl’s family.

“With effect from the date of his remand on 16^th November 2021.convict must pay reparation tune 1,500,000 SSP for amelioration of the condition of the survivor by means of civil proceeding.”

The Judge also advised him of the right to appeal the legality and severity of the sentence within 15 days in accordance with the law.

Since its establishment in 2020, the Gender Based Violence and Juvenile Court in Juba has sentenced more than 100 young men to different prison terms for committing sex crimes since its establishment in December 2020.

Most of the case are of defilement and rape.

The convicts were sentenced to terms between 5 to 10 years in imprisonment while the juvenile offenders are sentenced to reformatory schools for a terms not exceeding 5 years.