HIGH Court Judge, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, on Tuesday, sentenced Aduke Josiah to 18 years behind bars for the 2018 rape of a 15-year-old girl.

The Plum Park, Sophia resident, was last month found guilty by a 12-member jury at the Demerara Sexual Offences Court.

Josiah had denied engaging in sexual activity with the teen on August 18, 2018.

Justice Sewnarine-Beharry during her sentencing remarks on Tuesday, underscored the physical and psychological trauma the victim has had to face, and continued to face.

Among other things, the judge said that Josiah lacked genuine remorse and had maintained his innocence.

The judge, after taking into consideration the nature and prevalence of the offence, sentenced Josiah to 18 years.

According to reports, Josiah is known to the child’s family. It was alleged that he would often visit the victim’s home.

On the day in question, he visited the teen’s home while she was alone and raped her.

The child subsequently confided in her relatives, and the matter was reported to the police. Josiah was later arrested and charged.

The victim, in her impact statement to the court, said that for the first time since the incident, she felt relaxed after testifying in court against her rapist.

“I feel satisfied that Aduke Josiah was found guilty because he took something from me that was not for him. He made me live with that memory repeating over and over in my head every day of my life,” she said in her statement.