Family demands swift arrest of statutory rape suspect in Werathani

By Admin 17 Oct 2026

DMG Newsroom

17 October 2026, Werathani

The family of a 15-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted in Yinyekan Village, Werathani Township, an area under Arakan Army control in Arakan State, is demanding the immediate arrest and prosecution of the suspect, who remains at large.

According to the victim’s family, the girl was returning home on March 29 after making snacks with friends when she was raped by a fellow villager identified as U Maung Kyaw Thein, who is over 50 years old.

Family members said the teenager is now seven months pregnant as a result of the assault and is facing severe psychological and health complications.

“We only realized my daughter had been raped when we noticed her pregnancy,” the victim’s mother said. “When it first happened, he was still living in the village. It was only after our family discovered what had happened and reported it to the police station that he fled.”

The victim’s family filed a formal complaint against U Maung Kyaw Thein on June 29 at the local station of the Department of Law Enforcement and Public Security (DLEPS), but he has yet to be apprehended.

The family has formally asked the judicial body under the United League of Arakan (ULA) to apprehend the suspect swiftly and take legal action to ensure justice for the victim.

“We want the perpetrator arrested as quickly as possible and given an appropriate punishment,” the victim’s aunt said.

Incidents of sexual violence, including statutory rape, continue to occur across Arakan State. While perpetrators have been prosecuted in some cases, suspects in other cases continue to evade justice for extended periods.

The failure to arrest suspects promptly has prompted local residents to question the effectiveness of security and rule of law operations under the ULA administration.

Under Section 376 of the Penal Code enforced in territories administered by the Arakan Army, individuals convicted of rape face prison terms ranging from 10 to 20 years, along with possible fines.