Aweil Imam Yasir Ismail has been convicted to 19 years in prison for defilement and attempted rape. | Photo: Courtesy.

The High Court in Aweil town of North Bhar el Gazal State on Friday sentenced a Sudanese trader and religious leader to 19 years in jail for defiling a minor and attempting to rape another in February.

50-year-old Yasir Ismail, the Imam of a local mosque in Mediria in Aweil city, molested an 11-year-old girl on February 11 in Mederia residential area.

She reportedly threatened to kill her if she speaks about the sexual abuse.

But the mother reported a suspected defilement to the police after daughter’s health condition worsened.

On the process of his arrest, Ismail was again found with another 14-year-old girl, whom he reportedly defiled on February 12.

Upon his first arraignment in court, the religious leader confessed to having slept with the 11-year-old girl, but he denied sexually abusing the 14-year-old girl.

During the final judgement on Friday, the court found Ismail guilty of defilement and attempted rape under sections 247 and 63 of the South Sudan 2008 Penal acts.

Akok Arieth is the survivors’ lawyer.

“The accused was brought to trial and was sentenced in two separate cases, a defilement case and attempted sexual abuse,” he said.

“The court sentenced the accused on the 24th of this month to 14 years in prison in the first case as defilement while in the second case due to lack of enough evidence the court sentenced him to 5 years for attempting attempted sexual abuse.”

Last year, a 5-year-old child was raped, killed, and dumped in a pit latrine in Aweil town.

The convict was later condemned to death by hanging.