Sri Lanka, July 7 -- The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and eight-year rigorous imprisonment imposed on a man who had sexually abused a six-year-old girl in Moneragala in 2010.

A two-judge bench comprising Justices P. Kumaratnam and Pradeep Hettiarachchi dismissed the appeal filed by S.M. Jayantha, affirming the judgment of the Moneragala High Court which had found him guilty of committing grave sexual abuse under Section 365B(2)(b) of the Penal Code.

The Attorney General had indicted the accused for sexually abusing the child, who was his neighbour. Following the trial, the Moneragala High Court convicted the accused and sentenced him to eight years' rigorous imprisonment. The High Court also imposed a fine of Rs. 20,000 and or...