The High Court has mandated a new trial in the matter of an elderly stepfather charged with sexually assaulting his stepdaughter on a southern island.

The Prosecutor General’s Office filed the charge of sexual abuse of a child by someone in a position of trust related to an incident reported in 2011. The defendant was acquitted by the lower court, which determined that the case was submitted after the investigation deadline had passed.

The prosecution challenged the ruling, and the High Court has since overturned the lower court’s decision and mandated a complete retrial. The High Court bench delivered the ruling unanimously.

As per the undisclosed case report, the stepfather is alleged to have groped the girl's breasts and genitals while she rested on her bed in her room. The report on the settlement indicates that the abuse took place several times.

Sexual acts with a child by someone in a position of trust represent one of the gravest crimes under the Special Procedures Against Child Sexual Offenders Act. Such situations are generally prosecuted under Section 9, which makes illegal sexual relations between a minor and an individual in a position of authority. The crime comes with a required prison sentence of 20 to 25 years, which is one of the most severe punishments under the Act.