Team Herald
MARGAO: Judicial Magistrate First Class Ram S Prabhu Dessai on Monday convicted Public Prosecutor Ladislau Fernandes for causing hurt and locking in a steel cupboard a minor girl, who was employed as a maid in his house at Colva.
In her deposition to the court, the victim stated that she was working for Ladislau for around six months and during this period he used to beat her and at times would not give her food. She said due to this treatment, she ran away from his house and the Colva police brought her back to Ladislau and instructed him to send to her native place, which he failed to do. On August 24, 2006 while she was having her lunch some police personnel came to Ladislau’s house and seeing the police Ladislau locked her in a steel cupboard. After around 15 minutes, the cupboard was opened by the police and the girl was rescued.
PSI Brutano Peixote who was attached to Colva police station at that time in his testimony stated the Ladislau initially did not allow the police to enter his house and later said the steel cupboard could not be opened as his wife, who was not at home, had the key.
Ultimately, he produced the key from his pocket and when the cupboard was opened, they found the minor girl inside the cupboard in a breathless condition and totally disturbed. She was taken to Hospicio for treatment.
On November 10, 2017, the JMFC charged Ladislau of voluntarily causing hurt to the child and further for endangering the child’s life by locking her in a steel cupboard. Ladislau has been convicted under Sections 323, 341 and 346 of the Indian Penal Code and the sentence will be pronounced on January 14, 2019.
