Building housing Gender-based violence court, and Juvenile court in Juba - Credit | Koang Pal Chang/Eye Radio | March 2022

The Juvenile Court in Juba has sentenced a young man to seven years imprisonment for defiling and impregnating a 17- year-old girl.

Despite arguing the unnamed girl consented to the relationship, John Balasso Michael, 20s, was found guilty of impregnating the underage girl.

“John Balasso Michael is sentenced to 7 years imprisonment according to the provision of section 247 of South Sudan 2008 Penal Act effected from today 26of September 2022,” Judge, Andrew Joshua Lado passed the verdict Monday.

Balasso committed the crime in Gudele area, Juba last year.

He was also fined Balasso half a million South Sudanese Pounds in reparation to the victim.

“The convict has to pay 500.000 SSP as reparation and to be paid through civil procedures.”

Balasso, through his lawyer, has up to two weeks to make an appeal on the case.