In the ongoing Wamrong battery and trespassing appeal case, the High Court asked the Royal Bhutan Police, prosecuting the case, to resubmit a detailed rebuttal statement. Last week, the appellant, Tshering Yangki submitted six points in her opening statement on why she was not satisfied with the earlier judgments. She appealed to the High Court a month ago.
According to the prosecutor, appellant Tshering Yangki was charged with battery as per section 158 of the Penal Code of Bhutan. She was charged with the offence of battery based on the victim’s medical report and a short video clip where she was seen pulling the hair of the victim. She was also charged with trespassing as per section 237. Tshering Yangki earlier claimed that the video showed only her part of the argument and that she did not raise her hand on the victim.
Earlier, Tshering Yangki also stated her dissatisfaction with the compensation. To this, the prosecutor said they do not have any comment as the court has the authority to decide on the compensation.
The prosecutor also expressed their dissatisfaction with the lower courts’ decision to dismiss the charges against the victim and her son. According to the prosecutor, the victim and her son equally quarrelled with Tshering Yangki. The victim’s son also allegedly tried to physically charge her but his mother stopped him.
The police also raised their concerns regarding uploading such videos on social media that leads to trial by media or one-sided story.
Regarding the appellant’s accusations against Namgay Zam, a freelance journalist and the executive director of the Journalists’ Association of Bhutan, the police said they asked the Wamrong Court to summon her but the court denied it.
Meanwhile, the lawyer of the victim submitted that the victim and her son is satisfied with the judgment passed by the two lower courts. Regarding the compensation, the victim’s lawyer said she still cannot weave and do gardening works. It is said that she has to visit the hospital often.
The Trashigang District Court upheld the Wamrong Drungkhag court’s judgment earlier last month. The court sentenced Tshering Yangki to a concurrent prison term of 18 months and was also ordered to pay more than Nu 260,000 as compensation to the victim.
Tshering Zam/Kinley Dem
