CSWO lauds Sessions Court verdict
SHILLONG: CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing has lauded the verdict passed by the District Sessions Judge in Jowai to convict the rape accused, Small Phawa, even as it wanted speedy trial of pending cases.
“This verdict has given hope to the family of the victim who had lost all hope of getting justice when the fast track court in Jowai had acquitted him (Phawa) last year,” Kharshiing said in a statement.
According to the CSWO, right from day one, the perpetrator had been influential and “bought his freedom” ensuring that he was never taken into custody until the day of the verdict.
Kharshiing said, on going through records of two cases against the accused, one being for the rape and the other for the threat he had made to the grandfather of the victim 20 days after the incident of rape, it was found that Phawa moved a single petition for bail in two different cases, having different case numbers and two different investigating officers and was granted bail. Strangely, the cases were clubbed together and he indirectly managed to get bail for the rape too without having moved for it on that particular date.
“He had managed to, in the earlier days after the incident, pay off the State machinery in all stages, where they played with the judicial process and allowed a single petition for bail for two different cases,” Kharshiing said.
The CSWO praised the efforts made by the Prosecution in the recent re-trial and also the counsel of the victim who supported the prosecution to attain justice for the girl.
The organisation hoped to see more such verdicts in the State, which has witnessed a rise in heinous crimes against women and children, as low rate of conviction in some districts has given a boost to the perpetrators.
“Except for West Khasi Hills, where trial and conviction has been fast, the other districts are yet to pick up speedy trial in such cases,” she added.
