A 26-year-old man was arrested by Dagana police yesterday for allegedly having a physical relationship with a 13-year-old girl. The suspect is doing daily wage labour in Tsangkha, Dagana.
According to sources the suspect and the girl, who is a class five student, began to engage in physical relation since last month. The parents of the girl accepted their relation and they were even married off in a small wedding ceremony.
The gewog administration reported the case to the police after learning it as a crime.
According to the Penal code of Bhutan “A defendant shall be guilty of the offence of rape of a child above the age of twelve years if the defendant has sexual intercourse with a child between the age of twelve to eighteen years.
The offence of rape of a child above the age of twelve years shall be a felony of the second degree and shall be sentenced to a term of
imprisonment, a minimum of which shall be nine years and a maximum of which shall be less than fifteen years.
Namgay Wangchuk
