Imam Saed Ahmed Hamed appeared before a High Court judge on Thursday, December 17, 2020. Credit|Michael Daniel/Eye Radio

The Islamic Council in Central Equatoria state has condemned the actions of a sixty-year-old man who was sentenced to prison for molesting a 14-year-old girl in Juba.

“We are condemning him for that act, we want to inform South Sudanese at large and especially the Islamic community that what happened is an individual act,” the Central Equatoria state Islamic Council stated.

Last week, the newly launched Gender-Based Violence and Juvenile court found Saed Ahmed Hamed guilty of the crime.

The court ruling identified the Sudanese national as an Imam of a Munuki Mosque.

It said Ahmed sexually abused the little girl on April 7, 2020, while she was cleaning the mosque.

The presiding judge, Francis Amum Awin sentenced Ahmed to 10 years in prison under Article 247 of the South Sudan Panel Code of 2008.

The law says whosoever has sexual intercourse or carnal intercourse with another person, against his or her will or without his or her consent, commits the offence of rape.

Ahmed was also ordered to pay to the girl 6,000 South Sudanese pounds in damages as per the criminal case procedure.

Muslim leaders have, however, distance themselves from the convict, stating that Ahmed’s actions do not reflect well on the values and norms of Islam.

“We as the Islamic Council in Central Equatoria state would like to inform the public that what happened does not reflect the behaviour of Muslims,” said Gasim Sebit, assistant Secretary at the Islamic Council in Central Equatoria state.

Saed Ahmed’s lawyers have been given the chance to appeal the ruling within 14 days.

Two weeks ago, Chief Justice Chan Reec Madut described those who commit gender-based violence as ignorant.