The court sentenced a taxi driver to 18 years in jail for beating and raping an underage female passenger. The man also stole the girl's mobile phone, golden jewels and money, Info-Prim Neo reports. The incident happened in September 2009. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the 35-year-old driver was to take the girl aged 17 from Botanica district to Rascani district of Chisinau. On the way, he beat her, put her in the trunk of the car and took her to a corn field not far from Criuleni town. There, her raped and robbed her. In the trial, the man pleaded not guilty. He maintained that he was robbed by several individuals in Chisinau that day. Earlier, the taxi driver had been convicted of theft