The High Court has convicted three Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) personnel- two officers and a non-commissioned officer- in the DeSuung Training Fund embezzlement case.
The court has also acquitted two more RBA personnel in another case of the DeSuung Training Fund embezzlement, altering the military court’s judgement.
The judgement for both the cases was passed on Thursday.
The three army personnel who were convicted are Major Sonam Tshering, Major Tshering Tobgay and Peljab Tangka.
The courts sentenced the three to prison terms ranging from 12 to 19 months. However, they can pay in lieu of the imprisonment.
According to the judgement, Major Sonam Tshering has been sentenced to one-year-and-four-months in prison for embezzling over Nu 377,000 during the 12th and 21st batches of the DeSuung Training Programme.
Earlier, the Military Court had sentenced him to three years imprisonment and terminated from the service without benefits.
With him, non-commissioned officer Peljab Tangka has been sentenced to one year in prison for embezzling more than Nu 74,000 during the 21st batch DeSuung training.
And Major Tshering Tobgay misused over Nu 424,000 during the 15th batch of the training programme. He has been sentenced to one-year-and-seven-months in prison. Along with a prison term, earlier, the military court had terminated him from the service without benefits.
The judgement also empowered the RBA to take necessary administrative actions against the convicts as per the military rules.
Meanwhile, the two RBA personnel acquitted by the court on Thursday are Major Dorji T and Pelpon Karsang. There were no corroborating evidence and other proofs to rule their involvement beyond a reasonable doubt.
Earlier, the Military Court had sentenced Major Dorji T and Pelpon Karsang to prison terms ranging from four months to over a year. Both of them were terminated without any benefits from the service.
Including Major Dorji T and Pelpon Karsang, the High Court has acquitted 10 RBA personnel.
On Wednesday, the High Court acquitted Lieutenant Colonel Karma Tharchen, Lieutenant Colonel Rigzin Yeshey, Lieutenant Colonel Ugyen Norbu, Major Lingi Jamtsho, Peljab Sonam Dendup and Pelpon Zepa.
In August, the High Court acquitted Major Sigay Tshewang and Pelpon Nima Gyeltshen.
As for the seven shopkeepers involved in the case, the High Court upheld the Military Court’s judgment.
