Lamichhane convicted by Kathmandu court

Nepali legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane has been found guilty of rape by a district court in Kathmandu. According to reporting in the Kathmandu Post, a single-judge panel reached its verdict on Friday.

Lamichhane was accused of raping a minor in September 2022 following an incident in August of the same year. At the time of the accusation, the former Nepal captain was playing for Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League. Lamichhane was suspended from his contract at the time, and returned to Nepal after an arrest warrant was issued by Interpol.

After a series of delays, the fifteen-month legal process reached its conclusions after hearing evidence from both Lamichhane’s and the victim’s respective legal teams. The court dismissed the claim that the victim, who remains anonymous, was under the age of 18 at the time of the assault. However, the accusation of rape was upheld, concluding “The accused has raped the victim, taking advantage of her poor economic condition”.

After reaching bail in January, Lamichhane played 29 fixtures for Nepal in the intervening period, including overseas travel after appealing to the Nepali Supreme Court to adjust his bail conditions.

The court will meet again in January to determine a sentence. Lamichhane is entitled to appeal the court’s decision at the respective High and Supreme courts. If the district court’s decision is upheld, Lamichhane could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years.

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