A man stands inside GBV courtroom in Juba while being sentenced on Friday, September 1, 2023. (Photo: Michael Daniel).

A Gender-Based Violence Court in Juba has condemned a 24-year-old man to 10 years in prison for defiling and impregnating a 15-year-old schoolgirl.

The convict identified as David Ijaa Juma eloped with the survivor in Terekeka County in January this year.

The teenager’s father Charles Taban then reported the matter to the police. The minor in question is said to be six months pregnant.

Convict Juma had fled into hiding after committing the offense before he was apprehended six later.

During a final court session on Friday, Juma made a judicial confession of guilt.

He admitted to committing the crime of sleeping with a minor, prompting the presiding Judge, Andrew Joshua to pronounce him guilty.

He was therefore sentenced under section 247 of the South Sudan Penal Act 2008.

“The convict, David Ijaa Juma, has been sentenced by the court to ten years in prison, starting from the first day of September 2023, for violating section 247 of the South Sudan 2008 Penal Act,” Judge Andrew Joshu Lado read the verdict.

The court also obligates the convict to pay compensation amounting to one million South Sudanese pounds, which must be paid through civil procedures.

“The parties have the right to appeal the decision within a period of two weeks from today’s date according to section 263 of the Criminal Procedure Code 2008. The judgment was issued under my signature Judge Andrew Joshua Lado.”

Established in December 2020 with support from the UN development agency, UNDP, the GBV and Juvenile Court is dedicated to ending impunity related to gender-based crimes by holding perpetrators accountable.