High Court Upholds 15-Year Sentence for Man Convicted of Abusing Stepdaughter

The High Court has upheld a 15-year prison sentence for a man convicted of sexually abusing his 12-year-old stepdaughter.

According to the ruling made by the lower court in April 2023, the abuse began in December 2018 and occurred on multiple occasions. The stepfather was charged under Article 9(a) of the Special Provisions Act to Deal with Child Sex Abuse Offenders for carrying out a sexual act as a person in a position of trust. The lower court found the evidence sufficient to prove he committed sexual acts on a minor in a position of authority.

Forensic analysis of the perpetrator’s mobile phone and the child’s psychological assessment confirmed the abuse, with the child’s statements consistent with observable evidence, the ruling noted.

The defendant appealed in August of that year, claiming the allegations were fabricated under pressure from the child’s father, who he alleged had a personal vendetta against him. He also cited the child’s mother’s statement included in the investigation as supporting his claim.

The High Court rejected this argument, noting that the child first disclosed the abuse to her older sister, who then encouraged her to tell her father. The court concluded that the statement was independent of any dispute between the father and the accused.

The ruling confirms the lower court’s finding and maintains the 15-year prison sentence.