El-Obeid, January 26 (Darfur24)
The Family and Child Court in El-Obeid has sentenced a teacher at a private school to ten years in prison after convicting him of sexually abusing an underage student, in a case that sparked widespread shock in the local community.
Legal sources told Darfur24 that the court on Sunday convicted a teacher at Doha Private Model School in El-Obeid over an incident involving an eight-year-old student, dating back to October 2 of last year.
The sources confirmed that the court found the accused guilty under Article 45(C) of Sudan’s Child Law of 2010, which criminalizes harassment or sexual abuse of a child. The ruling followed completion of trial proceedings, including witness testimony and review of official reports and case documents.
According to the sources, the Public Prosecutor’s office in El-Obeid represented the state, while a team of fourteen lawyers served as private prosecutors. Three lawyers represented the defense.
Article 45 of the Child Law includes multiple provisions related to child protection. Paragraph C provides for imprisonment of up to fifteen years, in addition to fines, for anyone convicted of sexual abuse or harassment of a child.