The Tsirang District Court has convicted and sentenced a 21-year-old man to 10 years in prison for voluntary manslaughter in the death of his 50-year-old father. The incident occurred in April this year in Tsirang’s Mendrelgang Gewog. The court delivered the judgment on Tuesday.
According to the judgment, the incident happened on the night of 12th April this year at the family’s home.
According to the judgment, the convict returned home after unloading sand for a neighbour and found his parents arguing. The court stated that the convict was under the influence of alcohol and accidentally hit his mother while attempting to strike his father.
The judgment stated that the victim then struck the convict with a stick, following which the convict left the house and stayed in a nearby forest.
Later that night, after recalling the earlier altercation, the convict threw six stones at his father, who was in a forest below the road. The convict then spent the night in the forest.
The victim was found dead the following morning at around 8 AM, with head injuries. The convict later reported the incident to the police, confessed to the crime, and was arrested for investigation.
During the trial, the Office of the Attorney General requested the court to award compensation to the victim’s wife under the Penal Code of Bhutan 2004, stating the incident had affected her life. However, the court dropped the request after the victim’s wife informed the court that she did not wish to receive any compensation.
The OAG also requested the court to direct the relevant authorities to provide rehabilitation services as the convict tested positive for marijuana. The court, however, dismissed the request, noting that police had not sought rehabilitation services; the convict did not show signs of addiction during his three months in detention.
Pema Tshewang, Tsirang
Edited by Phub Gyem
