The Gender-Based Violence court has sentenced a 23-year-old man to five years imprisonment for defiling and impregnating a 15-year – old girl in Capital Juba.

Jack Alego John eloped with the girl in April, 2022, prompting the family to open a police case.

With the police aid, the girl  was found in convict Alego’s house after four days .

The unnamed victim who was later to confirm positive for preganancy, told her parents she was sexually assaulted  by the man.

When questioned by the court, convict Alego pleaded not guilty although he confessed having a love affair with the girl.

Before the passing of the verdict by Judge Ajak,  the defendant’s lawyer pleaded with the court to lessen the sentence for his client arguing that the suspect was the sole bread winner of the family.

After deliberations  on the plea, Judge Garang Ajak Deng found Jack Alego John guilty of violating section 247 of the South Sudan 2008 Penal Act, but reduced Alego’s jail term from 14-year penalty.

‘The convict, Jack Alego John, I, the judge of the Gender-Based Violence Court, Garang Ajak Deng, impose the following penalty.

“After hearing the aggravating reasons for the sentence and the mitigating reasons, I decided to reduce the sentence and convicted you to five years in prison starting from the day of his arrest on April 13 for violating section 247 of the South Sudan Penal Code of 2008.

“The convict shall pay an amount of one and a half million South Sudanese pounds to the victim as compensation for her rehabilitation. You have 15 from today’s date to appeal against the verdict,” Judge Aajak ruled.

The UN Development Program with support from the Kingdom of Netherlands, established the GBV and Juvenile Court in December 2020, to try such crimes in Juba.

The court tries several cases of sexual Gender Based Violence and sentenced 100 of the culprits to different prison terms since its establishment.