Imphal, May 30 2022: A man convicted for rape and murder of a minor girl has been awarded rigorous life imprisonment.
Salam Imocha, Special Judge, Fast Track Special Court Number 1 today sentenced Chingangbam Samjai alias Shyamjai (28) s/o (L) Ingocha of Tharoijam Maning Leikai to undergo rigorous imprisonment of life.
The sentence was announced today after the accused was convicted by the same Court on May 25 under section 6 of POCSO Act and 302 IPC.
During the sentence hearing, legal aid counsel of the convict submitted that the convict was very young man, only 20 years at the time of occurrence of the crime and was a simple villager who worked as a labourer from time to time with no permanent employment and source of income.
Saying this, the counsel prayed for simple imprisonment considering the young age of the convict and his poor family background On the other hand, Special PP submitted that the crime committed by the convict was rape and murder of an innocent minor girl which shocked the conscience of every member of the community.
The crime aroused indignation of the community and as such, exemplary punishment should be given which is death sentence, the Special PP said.
The Special PP also submitted that the crime committed by the convict was extremely brutal, inhuman, vicious and pitiless and the injuries inflicted on the victim were multiple ranging across all vital body parts.
The Court, after hearing both the parties, sentenced the convict to rigorous imprisonment of 20 years under section 6 of POCSO Act and life imprisonment under section 302 IPC.
The Court also directed that the sentences announced today shall run consecutively which means after the expiry of 20 years of imprisonment on November 19, 2034, the convict should further undergo life imprisonment.
The minor victim was found dead in the night of November 5, 2014 in a drain, not far away from her residence at Tharoijam Maning Leikai under Patsoi police station after the victim went out from her residence taking tea and snacks for their parents who were working in a paddy field at Haorang Lamjao.
The convict Chingangbam Samjai alias Shyamjai was arrested the next day.
IO of the case, Irom Ronika, then Sub-Inspector of Women police station, Imphal West after investigation of the case, framed charges against the convict and submitted the same before the Special Judge, POCSO Imphal West for trial.
Later as per a direction of the High Court of Manipur, the case was transferred to the Fast Track Special Court, Manipur 1 .