A man has been sentenced to eight years and two months in prison for raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Makoi, Nasinu, last year. Justice Thushara Rajasinghe also set a non-parole period of six years and two months.
Court documents reveal that the accused, a first-time offender, encountered the victim at a bus stop around 7 p.m. on June 11. While the woman was waiting for a bus to return home, the man forcibly took her behind a supermarket and committed the crime.
In his ruling, Justice Rajasinghe characterized rape as a deeply humiliating and distressing act that infringes on an individual’s physical integrity and destroys their dignity and autonomy, emphasizing its serious nature. He noted that although the complainant had seen the accused before, there was no clear evidence regarding their relationship. The prosecution did not submit a victim impact report, which complicated the court’s ability to assess the harm inflicted on the victim.
The judge highlighted the significant force used against the complainant during the assault, concluding that the level of culpability was high. The convict has 30 days to file an appeal.