IMPHAL, June 12: Four accused in the U-Morok trader gang rape case were pronounced guilty by the court of District and Sessions Judge, Manipur West today.
The sentence hearing for the quantum of punishment of the four accused will be announced on June 19.
The final hearing of the case was held at the District and Sessions court on May 28 last.
Speaking to the media outside the court complex, Special Public Prosecutor Ng Tejkumar said that the court has convicted the four accused in the rape case.
The main accused Lukhram Rojit (25), son of L Tomba of Porompat JNIMS Road has been convicted under 367, 376, 392 Indian Panel Code and 25 Arms Act and the three other accused Havaldar (1st IRB) Chungkham Ibomcha alias Eigya (37), son of Shamu of Thongju Boroi Makhong; Riflemen (1st IRB) Ksh Kennedy (37), son of Achou of Kongpal Chanam Leikai and Salam Bijen (34), son of Gourababu of Uripok Sorbon Thingel have been convicted under 367, 376, 392 Indian Panel Code and Section 34 Common Intention, he said.
He further said that the trail of the case started since some seven months back right after the charge sheet was filed by the concern police. The hearing for the case started in September last year, he said.
Ng Tejkumar said that this case is one of the cases which has had ‘fastest trial done in the history of rape cases in the state.’ The trail for this case took time due to the charge sheet filed by the police in which around 90 witnesses were mentioned however only 25 witnesses were allowed to present their statement in front of the court, he said.
The final hearing was held on May 28 and the four accused have been convicted in the gang rape of the U-Morok trader, he said
After the Criminal Law Amendment Act 2013 was passed in March this year, accused who are convicted in any rape cases will be sentence for 20 years of imprisonment or life imprisonment and the trail for the rape cases will be done within three months of time to deliver justice to the victim at the earliest, he added.
The victim, a 42 year old woman from Khupan Lungli village in Tamenglong district was allegedly gang-raped by the four persons on the intervening night of March 21 and 22 near Kakyai Primary School in Irom Meijrao.