Eleven years after the bruised body of British teenager was found at the Anjuna beach here, the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Friday sentenced a shack worker to 10 years rigorous imprisonment.
A Division Bench of Justices R.D. Dhanuka and Prithviraj Chavan had held Samson D’Souza guilty on July 17 for “culpable homicide not amounting to murder” and molestation, among other charges.
The Bench had overturned the verdict of Goa Children’s Court which had acquitted D’Souza. It however upheld the acquittal of the second accused Placido Carvalho.
The 15-year-old victim, who was holidaying in Goa with her mother and siblings, was found dead on the popular beach on February 18, 2008. The cause of death, according to the autopsy report, was drowning.
Initial investigation was conducted by Goa Police. However, the victim’s mother alleged that the probe was “shabby”. The State then handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
D’Souza, who worked at a beach-side shack, and Carvalho, a suspected drug dealer, were first arrested, based on witness accounts, by Goa Police.
The CBI named both in its charge sheet, claiming they drugged the girl and sexually abused her. Trial court judge Vandana Tendulkar acquitted them in 2016, which the CBI challenged.
The high court two days ago held D’Souza guilty under IPC Sections 328 (for administering drugs), 354 (outraging modesty), 304 (culpable homicide not amounting murder) and 201 (destruction of evidence) and for child abuse under section 8 (2) of the Goa Children’s Act.
D’Souza was present in the courtroom on Friday. His lawyer sought a stay to the sentence for 12 weeks so that he could file an appeal in the Supreme Court.
The Bench rejected the plea. D’Souza was sent to judicial custody and will be shifted to a prison at Colvale in North Goa district.
Senior lawyer Vikram Varma, who represented the victim’s mother, said justice has been finally delivered.
