A man who abducted a child from the street near his home has been given five years in jail.
The Seeb Criminal Court of First Instance has recently handed down the sentence to the Omani man after he was found guilty of kidnap, indecently assaulting the Omani child and infringing on his privacy.
The court also ordered him to pay a fine OMR5,000 for the victim’s family and to pay the legal fees as well. The incident took place in the wilayat of Seeb last year.
Official court documents stated that the child, who is 10-year old, was playing with his siblings outside their house when the incident took place. The defendant, who was under the influence of alcohol, stopped at him, spoke with the boy and lured him to his car and then sped away. Then he drove the victim to a remote area of attempting to sexually assault him.
Luckily, the child escaped by jumping out of the defendant’s moving car and made it to his family house. The intoxicated assailant convinced the child to sit on his lap to show him how to drive his vehicle and forced him to play with his private parts.
Article 257 of the Penal Code (2018) provides, whoever engages in sexual intercourse, without consent, with a male or female, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period no less than ten years and not exceeding fifteen years. Article 258 of the Penal Code also stipulates, whoever sexually assaults, without consent, a male or female shall be punished by imprisonment for a period no less than a year and not exceeding three years. If the offender is a guardian of the victim, or “Mahram”, the punishment shall be no less than seven years and not exceeding ten years.
In 2018, Oman launched a 24/7 child protection hotline (1100), which aims to combat any abuse against children in the country.
Additionally, child committees have been formed in all governorates, aiming to protect children from violence, exploitation and abuse.
The committees also follow up on those children who are exposed to abuses and voilance by providing the physical and social rehabilitation for them.
