The building of special court that was recently launched in Juba on December 3, 2020 - Credit | Lou Nelson/Eye Radio

The Juvenile Court in Juba has sentenced a 17-year-old boy to two years in reformatory school for sexually assaulting a girl of his age.

The young man only identified as David committed the crime at Gudele in Juba, last November.

According to the presiding judge, medical reports from the Gender Based Violence clinic indicate the girl is 17 weeks pregnant.

The boy reportedly convinced her to escape from her parents’ home to stay with him.

The court also heard that the boy threatened to harm the girl if she reported the incident to her family.

“You are hereby sentenced to be detained in reformatory school for two years with effect from 20th November 2020, the day of your arrest,” Judge Andrew Joshua Lado announced the verdict on Friday.

“The convict must pay the victim 500 thousand SSP as remedies through civil proceedings,” he ordered.

Judge Andrew Joshua said the convict has a right to appeal the judgment within 15 days in accordance with sections of criminal procedures.

David was tried under section 22 of the South Sudan Child Act, 2008, which stipulates that every child has the right to be protected from ill-treatment and abuses while in the care of parents, or any other person.

Such abuses include, among others sexual abuse, exploitation, and harassment including, rape, incest, inducement, or coercion of a child to witness or engage in sexual activity; the use of a child in prostitution or other sexual practices.

Whoever commits such an offense, according to the law, shall on conviction, be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.