Ouagadougou:A 22-year-old foreign national, known as PK, has been sentenced to 24 months in prison by the Ouaga I High Court, with six months of mandatory imprisonment, following charges of indecent assault on a 15-year-old girl. The court also imposed a suspended fine of 500,000 CFA francs. The charges, initially filed as rape, were reduced after the court found insufficient evidence to support the original offense.

According to Burkina Information Agency, PK denied the rape allegations, asserting that he was in a consensual relationship with the teenager, whom he had met while working on a construction site. He claimed to have been unaware of her age until after they began their relationship. PK stated that they had consensual sexual relations multiple times and that he had gifted her jewelry.

The teenager contested PK's version, stating that she was forcibly taken into his residence when she was there to pick up food. She described being overpowered and raped, unable to call for help as her mouth was covered. She reported the incident to her family the following day, prompting her father to contact the authorities.

During the trial, the court probed the teenager's account and examined the context of the alleged assault. Witnesses, including PK's roommate and the girl’s friend, backed PK’s narrative. The roommate corroborated PK's statements, while the girl’s friend confirmed their presence with others at the scene.

The girl's father refrained from pursuing any claims, opting instead for forgiveness and allowing the legal process to proceed. The prosecutor highlighted the illegality of sexual relations with minors under the law, leading to the reduced charge of indecent assault. The court ultimately upheld the prosecution’s request, concluding the trial with PK's sentencing.

Source Burkina Information Agency