France, July 20 -- For the first time in Madagascar, a court has ruled that surgical castration be carried out on a sex offender, who raped and murdered a six-year-old girl.

The 24-year-old man has been sentenced to surgical castration and life imprisonment with hard labour - the first time the law will be applied since it was voted through in parliament more than a year ago.

"Today's decision is a strong and significant response from the justice system, intended also to serve as a warning to anyone with similar malicious intentions," said Didier Razafindralambo, attorney general at the Court of Appeal.

According to Madagascar's justice ministry, 133 cases of the rape of a minor were reported in January 2024 alone - more than four per ...