Death sentence for rape, murder of girl in South Darfur city

The Children's Court in Nyala sentenced the rapist and killer of a six-year-old girl to death by hanging. The victim was found tied-down in his shop, and was suffocated with napkins and biscuits. 

Yesterday General Court Judge Dr Ismail Idris Ismail decided that the 23-year-old defendant, a shopkeeper in El Wehda district named Mustafa, is guilty of the rape and murder of the girl in his shop on Wednesday 17 May.

In the courtroom, where a large number of people including prosecutors, members of human rights and child protection offices, and representatives of Unamid were present, the parents of the victim adhered to their right to demand retribution.

Policeman Yasseir Suleiman Musa summarised that the victim, a six-year-old girl, was sent by her parents at about 7am to buy milk in the neighbourhood. After a while she seemed to have disappeared, and the father and residents of El Wehda went to search for her. They suspected she was in a closed shop. They requested the police to conduct an inspection.

After breaking the doors, the child’s dead body was found in the middle of the shop. The suspect was hiding under the shop table holding a knife.

Investigations revealed that the victim arrived to the shop of the defendant, who forcibly entered her into the shop and closed the door. He tied her hands behind her neck, tied her to a chair, and put a box load of biscuits and paper napkins down her throat. Her mouth was closed with a cloth.

The victim was raped using Vaseline while lying on a pillow on a rug.

Autopsy turned out the girl's hymen and two front teeth were broken

The doctor who conducted the autopsy was questioned before the court. He confirmed that the cause of death was the suffocation from inserting a box load of biscuits and paper napkins into her throat, causing a severe shortage of oxygen.

The perpetrator caused a fracture of the two upper front teeth of the girl and injuries in the oral cavity. This causes death within five seconds to a girl of her age, the doctor confirmed. He added that a crushing in the hymen was found, which had been newly broken.

As soon as the news broke on 17 May, people gathered in the streets of the city to hold protests against the murder. The case has gathered widespread attention since, as the courtroom yesterday was filled with advisers, prosecutors, lawyers, observers from civil society organisations, members of human rights and child protection offices, Unamid representatives and journalists.