By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Several constraints have delayed the speedy disposal of justice to the 18-year-old girl who was gang-raped by as many as 16 persons in Williamnagar on December 13.
Public prosecutor PL Sebastian on Sunday said that the opposite counsel is busy with his other cases, besides the witnesses have to be brought from all the way from Williamnagar to the Tura fast track court which is one of the constraints in a speedy trial.
He also admitted that it takes time for the trial as the witnesses have to be examined and cross examined.
It was on December 13 last year that the 18-year-old girl was gang-raped by 16 youths, most of them minors, while she was returning home after attending the Simsang Festival.
The case had to be transferred to the Tura Fast Track Court in the absence of such a court in Williamnagar and the trial began earlier this month. According to Sebastian, altogether twenty witnesses have been examined so far and five more witnesses are to be examined in the case.
Earlier, it was decided that the trial would be conducted every alternate days, which was later revised to twice a week. However, due to the existing constraints, the trial is now being held only once a week.
The State Government, through the Law Department had issued a notification for appointment of retired MCS officer N Sangma as the new ad hoc judge of the Tura Fast Track Court.
