Kerala: Court convicts transgender for sexually assaulting minor

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], February 7 (ANI): Thiruvananthapuram Fast Track Special Court on Monday convicted a transgender person, for the first time in the state for sexually abusing a boy seven years ago.
Special Judge Aaj Sudarshan sentenced Sachu Samson, alias Shefina, 34, a transwoman, who hails from Anathalavattom near Chirayinkeezhu, to seven years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 in the case of sexual assault with a 16-year-old minor boy.
"A default of the fine amount will lead to imprisonment for an additional year," the court ordered.
Special Public Prosecutor R S Vijay Mohan, advocates M Mubeena and R Y Akhilesh appeared for the prosecution and said, "The incident dates back on February 23 in 2016 when the accused met the victim who was coming to Thiruvananthapuram by train from Chirayinkeez. She took the child to Thambanoor Public Comfort Station and subjected him to unnatural sexual harassment. Although the child refused to go with the accused, the accused threatened him."
The prosecutors further said that the incident came to light when the victim's mother came to know through his Facebook Messenger.
"The boy, who was afraid of torture, did not tell his family about the incident. Again, the accused called the child several times over the phone and asked to see him, but the child refused to go. The mother noticed that the child was constantly sending messages on the phone and that the child was often afraid of talking on the phone. When the child blocked the phone number, the accused sent messages through Facebook Messenger. The child's Facebook has been tagged on the mother's phone. The mother came to know about the molestation when she saw the messages and started replying to the accused. As directed by the police, the mother sent messages to the accused and brought her to Thambanoor and the police arrested the accused," the said.
The prosecution examined seven witnesses. Twelve documents were produced. The case was investigated by S P Prakash who was Sub Inspector at Thambanur police station.
She was found guilty of the offences punishable under Section 377 (unnatural offences) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 3(d) (penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. (ANI)