A court in Eastern Equatoria State has sentenced a senior state government official to seven years in prison for raping a 17-year-old girl last Saturday.

The 35-year-old man identified as Clement Lino is the acting Chief Executive Director of Torit Municipality.

A 30-year-old woman, Dinna Toby has also been sentenced to three years for aiding the rape.

She was accused of inviting the girl to the house where the man raped her.

According to the Eastern Equatoria state police spokesperson, the two were arrested after the young girl reported the case.

“The court charged the executive administrator and sentenced him seven years in jail because it is a crime of rape,” Major Justin Kleopus Takuru told Eye Radio on Friday.

“He will also pay seven herds of cattle and four goats to the relatives.”

However, the woman charged with aiding the rape was fined120,000 SSP as a fine.

“The court compromised because this woman has young kids of 2 years and 4 years, she was told to pay 120,000 SSP as a fine,”Takuru said.

The rape incident happened on the 28th of last month.

The Eastern Equatoria police spokesperson urges the population to cooperate with organized forces by reporting any crimes in the community.

According to Section 247 of the 2008Penal Code Act, whosoever has sexual intercourse with another person, against his or her will or without his or her consent, commits the offence of rape, and upon conviction, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years and may also be liable to a fine.