Nicki Minaj’s Brother Jelani Maraj is Sentenced to 25 years to Life for Raping His Stepdaughter
Nicki Minaj’s brother, Jelani Maraj, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for repeatedly raping his 11-year-old stepdaughter, according to Page Six.
Jelani was convicted of predatory sexual assault and acting in a manner injurious to a child in 2015, and yesterday appeared in a Long Island courtroom to hear his fate.
Judge Robert McDonald gave him a stern message, saying that his “view is that you ruined this child,” adding, “You raped this child. You raped her over and over again.”
The young victim’s brother witnessed Jelani assaulting his sister and later notified school officials.
While Nicki didn’t appear in court, in 2016 she wrote a letter to the judge requesting Jelani to get a lighter sentence, calling him the “most patient, gentle, genuine, giving selfless man I know.”
“I’d like to apologize for the pain that I caused. I had an excessive drinking problem,” Jelani said upon hearing the verdict, adding that he’s “just asking for mercy from the court.”
What an awful case. We hope the young victim can heal.