Thrissur: The POCSO court here on Thursday found a pastor guilty of raping a 13-year-old dalit girl. Sessions judge Nickson M. Joseph will order the quantum of punishment on Friday. The accused, Sanal K James, 35, who was a pastor in the Salvation Army Church at Peechi, near here, abused the girl on several occasions at his official residence from 2013 to 2015.
He had also sexually abused another minor girl during the same period for which he was sentenced to 40 years’ imprisonment by the same court a few months ago.
The pastor was slapped with charges under both POCSO and IPC. The victim revealed the abuse to her teacher who alerted the Childline. The issue was brought before the Child Welfare Committee, which later informed the police and a case was filed. The pastor was arrested after the medical report found the girl had been raped.
The trial was held in the POCSO court with the victim standing in a specially arranged box so that others could not see her. The prosecution produced 32 witnesses, 16 documents and four pieces of material evidence. Public prosecutor Pious Mathew appeared on behalf of the victim.
