Almost four years after the horrific crime, the Oldenburg Regional Court has handed down a verdict. A man who raped a boy in a mosque was sentenced to five years in prison.
On Friday, after years of trial and thorough examination of the evidence and testimonies, the court handed down the sentence against the 32-year-old perpetrator. “The chamber was convinced by the boy’s statements,” said a spokeswoman for the regional court. A psychological evaluation of the young victim supported his credibility and contributed to the court’s conviction.
The crime took place in September 2019 in a mosque in Nordenham an der Weser (Wesermarsch district). According to the court’s findings, the accused used the sacred and supposedly safe place to carry out his heinous plan. The perpetrator and the then twelve-year-old victim visited the mosque, where the man forced the boy to have sex.
The accused’s defence had pleaded for acquittal, but the court followed the prosecution’s demand and imposed a five-year prison sentence. The verdict sends a clear message to society and to potential perpetrators: sexual violence, especially against children, will not be tolerated and perpetrators will be held accountable with the full force of the law.
Despite the final verdict, the emotional and psychological burden remains for the victim, who has been traumatised by the events and the trial. Experts emphasise the need to provide continuous psychological support and care to such victims to help them come to terms with the traumatic experiences and find a way to healing.