The Torit high court has found a preacher guilty of molesting a minor last year.

John Ngalula, a Congolese national, was accused of inappropriately touching the 10-year-old girl in Torit Town in September.

The 45-year-old man was a Sunday school instructor at the African In-land Church ( AIC ) in Torit when he committed the offence.

He was sentenced to 4 years in jail  on Monday after pleading guilty.

“The verdict today [Monday] was fair because the accused has been sentenced to 4 years imprisonment,” Jacob Atari, a legal aid officer working for peace initiative development organization confirmed.

The judge of the Torit high court, Justice Okech Jalong, who made the ruling also ordered him to pay a fine of 40,000 South Sudanese Pounds to the survivor’s family.

According to Jacob Atari – the judge arrived at the verdict after Mr. Ngalulla pleaded guilty before the court.

“He is supposed to be sentenced for 10 years [but] after the accused pleaded to the court some of his conditions [the terms were reduced].

However, crime of defilement is punishable by death penalty, according to the South Sudan penal code of 2008.

Via Eye Radio