Child abuse: Police arrest rape suspect

LAKKI MARWAT:

Eighteen-year-old Shaukat, accused of sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl in Nawar Village, was arrested by police on Thursday.

A Lakki Marwat police official said that on Wednesday night, police raided a house in the village and arrested the culprit. On Tuesday, Shaukhat sexually assaulted the girl in the guestroom of his house, following which she had to be rushed to the hospital in a critical condition.

Lakki Marwat SHO Asad Ali Shah on Tuesday evening raided the suspect’s house and jailed his father and brother. The official also said that after the case had been filed, influential leaders of the area began to pressure the victim’s family to withdraw the charges. The officials said that after the accused was booked, his relatives began to protest for his release. “I have been informed that the relatives of the accused want to prove in court that he was underage,” Shah said.

After the provincial government took notice of the issue, an official of the Child Protection Unit in Kohat contacted the victim’s family and assured them of help. Child Protection Officer Adnan Ashraf, while talking to The Express Tribune, said that the child could also be referred to psychologists who could help her.

Ashraf further said that the family would be given a free legal advisor when the case would be taken up in court. He said that they would take this issue through to every possible court required to in order to provide justice to the child.

He further added that all medical and legal expenditures of the victim and her family would be supported by the provincial government and social welfare department.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2012.