A 68-year-old school van driver was sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court for the grave sexual abuse of a Grade 4 student inside his vehicle more than a decade ago.
High Court Judge R.S.S. Sapuwidha delivered the sentence on Thursday (18), imposing the maximum punishment prescribed under the Penal Code for such offences. The convict, a father of one, was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs. 30,000 and compensation of Rs. 500,000 to the victim. Failure to pay will result in additional prison terms.
The Attorney General had indicted the driver under Sections 345 and 365(a) of the Penal Code for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor. The court ruled that the prosecution proved the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
Testimony revealed that the victim had been using the van service for nearly two years and was often the last child to be dropped home. Prosecutors said the driver exploited these circumstances to lure the girl with sweets and commit repeated abuse. The matter came to light after the girl confided in a friend, leading her mother to confront the driver and later file a police complaint.
During sentencing, Judge stressed that the offence was particularly serious because the perpetrator was entrusted with the responsibility of transporting children safely. The judge said the crime was a warning to society about the need for vigilance by parents over the safety of their children. (Newswire)