A madrasa teacher from Kannur, Kerala, has been sentenced to 187 years in prison for sexually assaulting a minor girl student for nearly two years during the Covid-19 pandemic. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 9 lakh on him.
The crime took place between 2020 and 2021.
According to the prosecution, Muhammed Rafi (41), a native of Alakode, started abusing the girl when she was 14 years old in March 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown was imposed. It continued until December 2021. He threatened her if she revealed her ordeal to anyone.
The crime came to light when the girl’s parents, concerned about her declining grades and noticeable changes in her emotional well-being, took her to a counselling centre where she revealed the sexual abuse.
The court took into account that Rafi had previously been involved in another case under POCSO Act. After securing bail in that case, he reportedly committed the crime once again.
Judge R Rajesh handed down the harsh punishment to Rafi because he was a repeat offender, said the prosecutor.
The judge sentenced Rafi to 50 years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 5 (t) of the POCSO Act (for repeat offenders committing penetrative sexual assault on a child); 25 years under Section 376(3) of the IPC (for raping a child below 16 years); two years under Section 506(2) of the IPC (for criminal intimidation); 35 years each under Sections 5(l) and 5(f) of the POCSO Act (for repeated rape by a person in a position of trust, such as a teacher); 20 years for penetrative sexual assault and another 20 years for forced oral sex.
"Since the sentences will run concurrently, Rafi will effectively serve 50 years in prison," said the prosecutor.
