Kinshasa, June 10th, 2026 (CPA).- Compensation amounting to ten thousand US dollars has been claimed for damages suffered in a case involving the rape of a minor, following a medical assessment, during a hearing held on Wednesday at the Kinkole Children’s Court in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
“We declare that we received the girl (…) on May 12, 2026, who stated that she had been sexually assaulted. The medical diagnosis is as follows: the membrane found in every virgin girl, known as the hymen, is no longer present, meaning that she is no longer a virgin,” said Mayanga Manga, a forensic doctor at the Reference Hospital of Quarter 7 in Ndjili Municipality, while interpreting the medical report. Represented by his lawyer, Me Alpha Ndjudi, the victim’s counsel subsequently recalled the facts that led to the alleged rape. “It was in May of this year that the child in conflict with the law invited the victim into their house to have sexual intercourse. After noticing the flow of blood, he fled the scene. The victim returned home, and her mother realized that something was wrong. When questioned, the girl revealed what had happened, given that the facts had already been established,” he said. In response, the defense lawyer requested the court to hear defense witnesses, arguing that his client had been ill on the day the offence was allegedly committed. “I ask your court to hear other persons whom we wish to call as witnesses. They saw the child in conflict with the law at the hospital receiving treatment on the very day the incident occurred. He is not the perpetrator of these acts. You are not trying a criminal but a child suffering from a psychological disorder. Criminal intent cannot be attributed to him, and this was not a premeditated act,” he argued. He added: “It is the result of a pathological condition. Consequently, when you retire for deliberation, you will conclude that the offence of rape has not been established because its constituent elements are lacking. Therefore, no damages should be awarded since the offence has not been proven.” In his submissions, the public prosecutor requested the court to impose severe measures against the child in conflict with the law and to reject the defense arguments, noting that the lawyer had invoked his client’s illness without presenting any evidence. “The victim was raped by the child in conflict with the law. The medical report confirms this. Your court should dismiss the defense arguments based on an alleged illness for which no evidence has been produced. You will award damages, not necessarily in the amount claimed by the victim but in a reasonable sum. You should also place the child in conflict with the law in a juvenile care institution to keep him away from other children,” the prosecutor stated.Considering itself sufficiently informed, the court declared the debates closed and reserved its judgment within the time limit prescribed by law.