Reech Ring Bol, the defense lawyer in the case of a female teacher accused of indecent assault on three-year-old speaks to the media after the first hearing. | 16th June 2022 |Photo by Michael Daniel/Eye Radio

The Juvenile Court in Juba has on Thursday held the first trial in the case of a Kenyan teacher accused of molesting a three-year-old school girl.

26-year-old Emily Kiroyia Nakuru, a teacher at Mercy Britain International school was arrested on 29^th of March for allegedly assaulting the toddler.

During the first hearing this week, the case investigator, First Lieutenant Steven Salah Charles read out the suspect’s statement, which she recorded at police custody.

Her statement is yet to subjected to cross examination by the court.

The General prosecutor, Attorney Sabino Okuje indicted Nakuru for indecent assault on the child.

“Today is the first session of the court hearing in the case of the teacher accused of indecent assault on a child, and it is a sensitive issue this crime happened in school during study hours,” Attorney Sabino said.

The young woman was charged in accordance with sections 243, and 249 of the South Sudan 2008 Panel Act.

“We have confidence in the court and that it is a fair court and issues a ruling against the accused To achieve deterrence against the ranks of these Western crimes on our society, which is a Western phenomenon.” said the General Prosecutor.

According to article 243, whoever is in charge or care of child under eighteen years of age…. and has willfully ill-treated or neglected the child, in such a way as to cause him or her unnecessary suffering, commits an offence.

Upon conviction by a court of law, he or she shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or with a fine, or with both.

In his argument, the suspect’s defense lawyer Recch Ring Bol said, the complainer did not base his case on strong evidence.

Ring said he is optimistic his client will be freed of the charges he believes have been framed by the child’s mother.

“We are comfortable with the evidence presented against our client because it’s baseless evidence. The source of the information that this crime has happened is built on the narration from the complainer, the mother of the child that her daughter says this has happened to her,” Ring said.

“And from the statement of the investigator, he confirmed to the court that this three-year girl doesn’t speak,” he added.

The presiding judge, Andrew Joshua Ladu adjourned the court session to 21^st of this month.