Charge of human trafficking added for alleged child rapist
The charge of human trafficking and illegal weapons possession were added on Tuesday to those filed by a prosecutor against a 53-year-old shopkeeper accused of repeatedly raping and pimping out a 12-year-old girl.
The new charge, a felony, came after a request by the investigative magistrate handling the case. It carries a minimum 10-year prison sentence and a fine when the crime has been committed against a minor.
The suspect has been given until noon Wednesday to testify after appearing before an investigating magistrate.
The accused, whose name has not been made public but who has been identified by the media, allegedly raped the girl several times between April and August and also arranged for 213 men, whom he met online, to sexually abuse her.
Based on police evidence so far, the suspect abused, photographed and recorded the girl inside his shop. He then uploaded the material on porn websites through fake profiles he had created.
A 43-year-old man, said to have paid to abuse the child, also stands accused of raping her.
The crime came to light after the victim’s family found messages and photos on her mobile phone, sent by the alleged perpetrator.
The authorities are now seeking to identify the others involved in the child abuse ring.
