A 13-year-old found guilty of raping an eight-year-old boy in a school toilet in the Central Division has had his two-year jail sentence suspended for four years.

Court records show that on an unknown date between May 1 and November 30 of 2024, the victim sought permission from his class teacher to visit the toilet.

The teacher then saw the boy following the victim from behind. Upon arrival at the toilet, the boy closed the door and forcefully committed the offence.

On another occasion, the victim, who was walking home from school, was stopped by the boy who then recommitted the offence. He did not tell anyone about the incidents.

On November 30, a woman saw the victim and two other boys playing inside the boy’s house. They were enacting sexual intercourse actions when she entered and reprimanded them, saying they were too young to do that.

This was when the victim informed the woman of what the boy had done to him. The matter was then reported to the village headman and police.

Addressing the law relating to juvenile offenders, Justice Waleen George cited Section 30 of the Juvenile Act 1973, which provides that no child shall be sentenced to imprisonment for any offence. However, where a term of imprisonment is lawfully imposed, it must not exceed two years.

According to a Department Social Welfare report provided to the court, the boy was remorseful, cooperative, and respectful.

One of the court orders requires the boy’s father to enter into a $500 good behaviour bond on behalf of the juvenile. The court also ordered that the boy be placed under probation supervision by the Social Welfare Department for four years.

“The department is to immediately arrange for the counselling of the juvenile in the presence of his parents with the view of assisting him in keeping away from conflict with the law,” Justice George ruled.