The Thimphu District Court recently sentenced former Trongsa Dzongda, Lhab Dorji, to two years in prison for an aggravated battery. According to Penal Code, aggravated battery is defined as the use of physical force of an adverse nature on another person. Earlier this year, Lhab Dorji stabbed an ACC official’s hand following an altercation outside the courtroom.
The District Court’s judgement stated that Lhab Dorji in his confession to the police admitted to having hit the official on his face with a fist and his left hand with a knife. The judgment further stated that he admitted before the court to committing the crime.
Considering these facts, the court convicted Lhab Dorji of an offence of misdemeanour as per section 159 of the Penal Code of Bhutan. However, the convict can pay in lieu of the prison term.
Meanwhile, as per the judgement, the legal representative of the ACC official had submitted that the official does not want any compensation as the incident happened while he was on his duty.
Also, the medical report showed that the wound was not critical. The court, therefore, did not order the convict to pay any compensation.
Furthermore, the Court dismissed the Anti-Corruption Commission’s petition to charge Lhab Dorji with a criminal attempt to voluntary manslaughter and also charge his wife, daughter, and two sons. The petition was submitted just before the judgment.
As per the judgment, the Court could not consider the petition for several reasons. It stated that the prosecutor, the Office of the Attorney General had initially charged the convict only on aggravated battery and not on a criminal attempt to voluntary manslaughter. OAG also did not charge the other family members.
BBS tried to seek clarifications from the OAG but the officials refused to talk. They said they cannot talk to the media.
The Supreme Court passed the judgment on the Trongsa land scam sentencing Lhab Dorji and three others to a prison term of 18 months to six years in April this year.
Kinley Dem
Edited by Sonam Pem
