Nicki Minaj’s brother Jelani Maraj has been given a 25-years of jail term, after he was found guilty of raping his 11-year old stepdaughter.
The 41-year old Jelani was arrested of rape and torture of a child in 2015, he was convicted in 2017, and just today the lawsuit finally came to a conclusion.
Jelani Maraj started raping his 11-year old stepdaughter in 2015
The court found that the victim of Maraj’s rape and predatory behaviour was just 11 years old in 2015, when he began assaulting her.
She testified in the court that Maraj raped her repeatedly during the day and continued to do so for weeks to come. The girl’s brother, who was 8 at the time, witnessed the assault once but Maraj beat him up and threatened him to keep his mouth shut.
First he claimed to be innocent, but accepted once proof was found
Initially, Maraj claimed to be innocent and accused his ex-wife Jacqueline Robinson, who is also the mother of his victim, saying that she was setting him up by framing him in the case and asking for $25 million.
Later investigations found the evidence of Maraj’s DNA on the girl’s clothes and pyjamas.
His attorney believes the sentence is “excessive”
Eventually, Maraj confessed to his crimes, gave an apologia, and blamed it on his alcohol problems. Nassau County Supreme Court Judge issued the sentence and told Jelani Maraj that “you’ve ruined a child.”
To which Maraj replied saying, “I’d like to apologize for the pain that I caused. I had an excessive drinking problem.”
He asked for a “second chance” while his attorneys asked to reduce his sentence to 10 years – citing several health issues with Maraj.
Maraj’s lawyer has said he’ll repeal the case, and believes that the sentence of 25 years is too “excessive” for raping and physically assaulting and mentally damaging a child.
He had given extreme physical and mental trauma to the girl
The girl said “she felt like she had no voice,” and suffered continuous anxiety attacks. She even began feeling suicidal.
She said that he referred to her as “his puppet” and violently attacked her whenever she refused to cooperate with his assault.
Nicki Minaj’s attitude to the whole case is problematic and disturbing
Nicki Minaj, on the other hand, has been extremely supportive of her rapist brother throughout the years. She put two of her homes at collateral to collect $100,000 and bail him out for the first time he was arrested.
In 2016, she even wrote a letter on behalf of her brother where she called him “the most patient, gentle, genuine, giving selfless man I know.”
The same letter was read by Maraj’s lawyer at the hearing yesterday.
Before her brother was arrested, Nicki Minaj posted a picture of her with Maraj on Instagram: Jelani, I love u more than you’ll ever comprehend.
Nicki Minaj is also married to a convicted rapist Kenneth Petty who has been in jail for raping a 16-year old girl in 1995.
Featured Image Courtesy: Okayplayer
Comment here