Phek sessions (special) court has sentenced one Zakir Hussain, a mason by profession, to one-year rigorous imprisonment for sexually harassing a minor.
He was charged under sections 376 and 354(I)(i) of Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
The victim’s father had lodged an FIR at Pfutsero police station on April 15, 2017 stating that the accused had come to his house on April 14, 2017 and molested his daughter, besides raping her on an earlier occasion.
Based on the complaint, Pfutsero police station officer in-charge registered a case and a charge-sheet was filed following completion of investigation. The court then took cognizance of the case and a free and fair trial was conducted.
Based on testimony of the victim and evidences from the prosecution witnesses, the court found Hussain guilty of sexual harassment and convicted him. He was, however, acquitted from the charge of rape due to lack of enough evidence.
The judgement was pronounced by session judge Mezivolu T Therieh. Samuel Ritse was the lead prosecutor, while Vethothi Vero defended the accused