SHILLONG: A robust legal offensive against child sexual abuse has seen two special POCSO courts in East Khasi Hills hand down significant convictions, signalling a stern message to perpetrators in the state. The sentences, delivered in separate cases, bring a measure of closure for victims and their families, reinforcing the commitment of the judiciary to protect the state’s most vulnerable.
In a landmark verdict that reverberated through the legal fraternity, Rapborlang Kharshiing was sentenced to a staggering 20 years of rigorous imprisonment by the Special POCSO Court presided over by Judge RR Rymbai. Kharshiing was found guilty under the stringent Section 6 of the POCSO Act, which addresses aggravated penetrative sexual assault. The case, which dates back to a 2018 incident lodged at the Mawngap Police Station, was meticulously investigated by Women Police Sub-Inspector L Kharjana. In addition to the lengthy jail term, Kharshiing has also been slapped with a fine of Rs 20,000, with an additional six months’ incarceration if he fails to pay.
The judicial hammer fell again in a separate 2015 case, where the Special Court of Judge MK Lyngdoh convicted two men. Stevenson Nongsiej, also known as Steve, was found guilty of penetrative sexual assault under Section 4 of the POCSO Act. He was handed a seven-year prison sentence and a fine of Rs 30,000, with a four-month extension to his sentence if the fine goes unpaid. His accomplice, Tuparsing Lyngdoh Lyngkhoi, or Bah Duh, was convicted for attempting to commit an offence under Section 18 of the POCSO Act. He received a sentence of three years and six months. The original case, registered at Rynjah Police Station, was investigated by WPI S. Wanshnong, who is now a Prosecuting Inspector at the Shillong Court, demonstrating the enduring efforts of law enforcement to pursue justice, no matter how long it takes.
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