It was belatedly revealed that prosecutors have demanded a heavy prison term for a Pakistani man who sexually assaulted foreign children at an Islamic mosque in Incheon 18 years ago.

According to legal circles on August 31, the Bucheon Branch of the Incheon District Prosecutors' Office demanded a 10-year prison sentence for a Pakistani national,, during the sentencing hearing held in mid-August presided over by Judge Na Sang-hun of Criminal Division 1 at the Incheon District Court's Bucheon Branch. He was indicted on charges of rape and other offenses against a minor under the age of 13 under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes.

An official from the prosecution explained, "At the time of the incident, the victim children were very young, which is why the filing of the complaint was delayed."

Defendant A was indicted on charges of threatening and sexually assaulting two foreign children, including a boy surnamed B (7 years old at the time) and a boy surnamed C (9 years old at the time), at an Islamic mosque in Incheon in September 2008.

Investigations revealed that Defendant A was teaching the Quran, the Islamic holy book, at the mosque at the time.

Under Article 21 of the Sexual Crimes Punishment Act, the statute of limitations does not apply to rape crimes committed against children under the age of 13.

(Photo: Yonhap News)