The former Trongsa Dzongda Lhab Dorji and five others who were convicted by Trongsa district court over a land scam appealed to the High Court. In the preliminary hearing today, the appellants said they were denied a fair trial, are not guilty of any charges and the Anti Corruption Commission lacks locus standi to prosecute them.
The appellants were convicted by Trongsa District Court on November 14 last year for forgery, official misconduct and deception in a land case:
The former Trongsa Dzongda Lhap Dorji was sentenced to 13 years in prison for forgery, official misconduct and execution of documents by deception in the Trongsa’s land scam case. But he was given a concurrent prison term of five years.
His wife Karma Tshethrim Dema and former Draagteng gup Tenzin were sentenced to 15 years each in prison. But they were given a concurrent prison term of six years each for forgery, solicitation and for influencing the witness.
Similarly, the former Drangpon Ugyen Tenzin was handed down an 18-month sentence for attempt to forgery. The court gave concurrent sentencing of 18 months each to former Surveyor Narayan Dangal and former Nubi Gup Phuntsho. They were actually convicted for two years six months and three years respectively.
The Anti-Corruption Commission registered the case with the Trongsa District Court in 2017 after the Office of the Attorney General dismissed it saying the case did not merit criminal proceedings.
Tshering Zam
