KATHMANDU: Anticipation surrounding the Sandeep Lamichhane rape case verdict was met with an adjournment by the Kathmandu District Court.
The hearing, presided over by Judge Shirish Raj Dhakal, saw government advocates presenting their case.
However, the proceedings are set to resume in the coming days, allowing Lamichhane’s legal representatives to present their case.
The court will subsequently decide whether Lamichhane is to be acquitted or taken into custody. If found guilty, he faces a minimum jail term of 10 years.
The alleged victim, claiming to be a minor, seeks a sentence of 10 to 12 years for the cricketer, though her exact age is yet to be confirmed.
The case is framed under section 219 (1) of the National Penal Code Act, 2017, categorizing non-consensual sexual intercourse with a woman or a girl child below eighteen years as rape, even with her consent.
Should Lamichhane be convicted, he could face imprisonment for ten to twelve years, considering the girl’s age is above sixteen but below eighteen, as specified in section 219 (4) of the National Penal Code Act, 2017. Additionally, the court may impose a fine of Rs 500,000.
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