Exemplary damages in rape cases

A fifty-four year-old man was charged with qualified rape for allegedly having sexual intercourse with his thirteen year-old grandneice. The accused was the brother of the young girl’s paternal grandfather whom she fondly called “Papa.” The granduncle was very close to his brothers family and even lived with them for four months while his house was being built. After the house’s completion, the granduncle moved into his new house along with the grandneice because he had promised to send her to school.

She lived with him for three years and it was while she was living with him that she got raped several times. The granduncle threatened to kill his grandneice if she told anyone. Thus, she never did. But eventually, she got pregnant and she could no longer keep her secret. The granduncle initially denied the accusations and even told everyone that a certain Boyet was the father but eventually defended himself by using the sweetheart theory that they were in love and living together as husband and wife.