KARACHI: A sessions court has sentenced a man tofour years in prisonfor raping a 14-year-old boy inside a cabin in an internet café within the jurisdiction of the Qaidabad police station.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (Malir) Zashia Rehman found Syed Faizan Shah guilty of the offence under Section 377 (rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). He appeared on bail in the court.

`Sexual offences against minors are not only offences against individual victims but also crimes against the conscience of society. Such acts erode the trust, safety, and dignity of children, and strike at the very moral foundation of a civilised community. Gender-based violence laws, including Section 377 PPC, are enacted not only to penalise the offender but also to provide protection and redress to victims, promote deterrence, and uphold constitutional values of dignity, equality, and protection of vulnerable citizens,` the judge remarked.

Reasoning for not awarding maximum punishment, the court noted that the court found that the prosecution has proved its case beyond all reasonable doubt. However, considering that the accused was a first-time offender and in the interest of proportional justice, the court was inclined to award a moderate sentence instead of a maximum.

It has also imposed a fine of Rs300,000, on default he would serve additionalimprisonment.

According to state prosecutor Ghazala Parveen Rajper, the complainant stated to the police that his 14-year-old son was forcibly raped by the accused inside a cabin in an internet café in Feb 2022. The FIR added that the survivor later disclosed the incident to his parents and the complaint was lodged against the accused.

During the trial, the prosecutor argued that despite being a minor, the survivor`s statement was clear, coherent, and consistent on material facts.

She addedthatcourtshave accepted that credible child testimony can form the basis of conviction.

Additionally, a medical examination revealed signs of sexual assault and a DNA report also corroborated the survivor`s version. The chain of evidence was maintained from seizure to forensic testing, she contended, adding that no evidence was shown to have been tampered with or improperly handled.

On the other hand, the accused denied the allegations.