The Tsirang district court, earlier last week, sentenced a 27-year-old man from Mendrelgang to one year and three months, and a 39 years old woman from Padtshaling Gewog in Tsirang to three months in prison for unnatural sex leading to a death of a woman and failing to report the crime.
They can, however, pay in lieu of their prison terms.
Sometimes in April this year, the convicts and the deceased spent their night together under the influence of alcohol at the deceased house. The convict had sexual intercourse with the deceased and also indulged in unnatural sex later. According to reports, the deceased complained about pain and the two convicts continued separately. Later they found the deceased lying cold on the bed. The convicts fled the scene after hiding the beer bottles and glasses which are actually evidence of their presence at the crime scene.
The police prosecuting the case could not prove the convict for the murder of the woman due to lack of conclusive evidence. Instead, they were charged with concealing evidence, failing to report the crime and offence of unnatural sex. Apart from their prison term, the two were also asked to pay a fine of Nu 11,250 each to the government’s revenue for failing to report the crime.
The convicted man was also asked to compensate the deceased family with Nu 50,000 for the loss. The culprit was a repeated offender and he had served several years of prison term from other district courts as well.
The Penal Code of Bhutan in its Article 213 states “A defendant shall be guilty of the offence of unnatural sex, if the defendant engages on sodomy or any other sexual conduct that is against the order of nature.”
Namgay Wangchuk
