Thimphu District Court sentenced a 38-year-old man from Dangchhu in Wangdue Phodrang to five years in prison for larceny by deception of more than five kilograms of cordyceps and hindering of prosecution.
The judgement passed on last Monday also asked the convict to restitute the cordyceps to the victims through the Office of the Attorney General.
According to the judgement, the convict, posing as a buyer of cordyceps invited the four victims to Langjophakha in Thimphu with their cordyceps. The judgment further states that the convict conspired with two more suspects and told them to come to their place when they are doing the business.
Accordingly, two people who impersonated forest officials by wearing uniform confiscated the cordyceps from the victims accusing them of indulging in illegal business. The prosecution of the case got delayed due to the denial of revealing those two suspects by the convict.
Police have seized 6467.2 grams of cordyceps from the convict during the investigation. The incident took place in July 2018, and the two suspects who impersonated forest officials are still at large.
According to a source, the convict has appealed to the High Court and is out on bail today.
Changa Dorji
