Samdrupchhoeling Dungkhag Court sentenced a 23-year-old man from Phuentshogthang Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar to twenty years in prison for the rape of an 8-year-old girl.
According to the judgement passed on last Friday, the incident occurred during an electricity blackout in the area in October last year. The 8-year-old student was with her friend when they met with the convict. The convict was on his way to play football. However, when the friend left for home, the convict forcefully took the victim to a riverside near the new town construction site and forced himself on the little girl in one of the newly constructed buildings.
However, the convict will not have to pay any compensation to the girl, as the guardian of the girl did not lay any claim since the girl is in normal condition. The guardian also informed the court that neither the convict has income to pay the compensation nor his parents can afford it after sending the convict to prison.
According to the Penal Code (Amendment) Act of Bhutan 2011,
According to the Penal Code (Amendment) Act of Bhutan 2011, “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, or an incompetent person, either with or without knowledge of the other person being a child or incompetent person.” It is the felony of the first degree, which has a minimum prison term of fifteen years to life.
Changa Dorji
