Two men in their late 30s are in custody for the alleged statutory rape in Zhemgang. They are accused of the alleged rape of a nine-year-old girl in separate incidents.
The suspects were arrested last week. While one of the suspects is the girl’s stepfather, the other one is their landlord.
The girl is a student in one of the schools in Zhemgang. A source said she first complained of pain while relieving herself to her mother. Her mother then took her for a medical checkup. Suspecting rape, police were informed and the suspects arrested.
If proven guilty, the suspects will get a minimum of 15 years prison term. As per the penal code, “a defendant shall be guilty of the offence of statutory rape, if the defendant engages in any act of sexual intercourse whatever its nature with a child below twelve years…”. It is a felony of the first degree with a maximum prison term of life sentence.
Pema Samdrup, Zhemgang
Edited by Sonam
