The Larger Bench of the High Court acquitted three chiwog tshogpas of Gase Tshogongm Gewog in Wangdue Phodrang. The judgment was passed yesterday. The lower courts had convicted them for lack of accountability and transparency while awarding the community contracts.
The larger bench reversed the decision of the high court and the district court. This is because the judgment said only a few people were not aware of the community contracts. The judgment further says the tshogpas had informed the people.
The case involves three tshogpas of Khatoedkha, Khamaedna and Changkha in Wangdue Phodrang.
Two contract packages worth Nu 1.4 M were awarded to the communities in 2019. The works included supplying drinking water to various offices in the gewog and constructing a gate for the gewog office. A few individuals had said they did not receive any information about the contracts. And one of them then filed a case in 2019.
The district court and the high court had sentenced the tshogpas to three months in prison.
The larger bench was dissolved in May this year but continues to hear cases registered before May.
Tshering Zam
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
