TikToker Dorji Tshomo will remain in prison until July 2028. The Thimphu District Court has sentenced her to two years and eight months in prison for battery against a police personnel and a De-suup. As a repeat offender, the court denied her the option of paying thrimthue in lieu of a prison term. However, she can appeal to the High Court.
According to the verdict passed on Thursday, the incident occurred during the concluding day of Thimphu Moenlam Chhenmo at Kuenselphodrang in June this year.
Dorji Tshomo attempted to force her way into the prayer hall while De-suung personnel were lined up to receive blessings from His Holiness the Je Khenpo.
The court found that, when a police personnel tried to stop her, she used physical force and caused injuries to his hand and cheek. She also caused hand injuries to another De-suung personnel.
During the trial, she claimed that she had been subjected to excessive restraint and verbal abuse by security personnel.
However, after reviewing CCTV footage, the court found that the personnel acted lawfully and used reasonable force to prevent her from breaching the security line. The court also rejected her defence of mental illness, citing psychiatric evaluations which found no evidence of a psychotic disorder.
The court ruled that her actions amounted to two counts of battery under Section 158 of the Penal Code of Bhutan. While battery normally attracts a petty misdemeanour sentence, the court upgraded the offence to a misdemeanour due to her three prior convictions for similar offences.
The court deducted the 28 days she had already spent in detention from the total sentence.
Kinley Bidha
