KARACHI: A sessions court has sentenced a man to 10-year rigorous imprisonment on charges of raping an underage girl at an orphanage.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (East) Ilyas Memon found accused Mehdi Hassan, a former employee of the orphanage, guilty of raping the teenage girl at a private shelter home in May 2021 within the jurisdiction of the Jamshed Quarters police station.

The court imposed a fine of Rs100,000 on the convict and ruled that in case of default, he shall serve an additional six months in prison.

However, the judge acquitted a female co-accused due to a lack of evidence against her.

The convict, who appeared in court on bail, was taken into custody after the pronouncement of the verdict and sent to prison to serve his sentence.

The rape survivor deposed in her statement recorded before a judicial magistrate that the accused, who worked at the orphanage, called her to his office, where he overpowered her and subjected her to a sexual assault.

He threatened her of dire consequences if she told anyone about the incident. However, she confided in her aunt who visited her at the shelter home a few days later.

The victim stated that the administration of the orphanage informed her later that the accused had been sacked.

“It is settled principle of law that solitary statement of victim is enough in such case,” the court ruled.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2024