16-year-old sentenced to 10 years for child rape and murder in Maungdaw

By Admin 15 Sep 2026

DMG Newsroom

15 September 2026, Maungdaw

The Maungdaw District Court sentenced a 16-year-old to 10 years in prison on September 4 for raping and murdering a toddler in Aung Thukha Village, Maungdaw Township.

Sixteen-year-old Maung Pauk Sa Chay was handed the 10-year prison sentence for raping and murdering a two-and-a-half-year-old girl in Aung Thukha Village on March 16, 2026.

“The primary culprit who brutally killed a child was given only 10 years in prison. Meanwhile, the court released his mother, an accomplice, citing insufficient evidence. This case lacks justice completely. We lost our daughter and failed to obtain true justice,” said a male family member of the victim.

Maung Pauk Sa Chay allegedly raped and killed his toddler neighbour before his mother assisted in concealing the crime by placing the victim’s body in a sack, leading to their initial arrest by local security forces.

Both Maung Pauk Sa Chay and his mother were apprehended by the Department of Law Enforcement and Public Security (DLEPS). However, officials released the mother one month later, citing insufficient evidence.

The release of the mother, who was accused of helping conceal the body, prompted outrage from the victim’s family over what they described as a breakdown of justice.

“We want the perpetrators to face penalties proportionate to their crimes. Releasing the mother who acted as an accomplice is unjust. We plan to appeal the case to higher judicial authorities to secure justice,” the relative added.

Because the perpetrator is legally a minor, the court handed down a 10-year sentence under child rights legislation, which limits the severity of punishments applicable to juvenile offenders.

Although the victim’s family filed charges covering child rape, robbery, murder, and concealment of a corpse, the court proceeded with trials addressing only murder and rape charges.

The prosecution presented seven witnesses, while the defense called four witnesses during the initial trial. Following the release of the mother, the alleged accomplice, the prosecution submitted six additional witnesses for examination.

In a separate ruling in July, the Sittwe District Court sentenced a primary perpetrator to death for the rape and murder of a young woman in Aungseik Village, Ponnagyun Township, while handing 20-year prison sentences to two co-conspirators.

At least 13 cases involving child rape, sexual violence, and forced assault have been documented across Arakan State in 2026, amid concerns over judicial weaknesses and perpetrators who remain at large.