Chencho Dema

Thimphu District Court’s Criminal Bench yesterday sentenced 39-year-old businessman, Sonam Norbu, to 14 years, 11 months, and 29 days for the voluntary manslaughter of 24-year-old Namgay Dolkar, rejecting his claims that the victim had died by suicide.

The Court passed its verdict based on damning circumstantial evidence and his attempts to conceal the crime.

According to the Penal Code, voluntary manslaughter is an act committed with intent to kill, but without premeditation, under sudden provocation or with vicious intent to cause serious bodily harm.

The court ruling was based on circumstantial evidence that satisfied the four litmus tests established in the precedent-setting of Dorji Wangdi v. OAG (Re: Rape).

The evidence revealed that Sonam Norbu and the victim were involved in an illicit relationship characterised by jealousy, insecurity, and frequent violent arguments. Tensions between the two escalated as the victim reportedly threatened to expose their affair, while Sonam Norbu sought to distance himself.

On the day of the incident, text messages indicated a heated argument before the defendant picked up the victim. A violent altercation followed, during which the defendant, acting under sudden passion and provocation, strangled and smothered the victim. Forensic findings and the injuries on the victim’s body corroborated this sequence of events.

The defendant’s behaviour following the crime further undermined his claim of innocence. Rather than reporting the alleged suicide or seeking help, he disposed of the body in a river during monsoon and attempted to mislead investigators by falsely claiming the victim had travelled to Nepal.

Although forensic analysis was inconclusive on the exact cause of the death, the circumstantial evidence overwhelmingly pointed to homicide rather than suicide.

While initially charged with murder, the lack of evidence for premeditation led to a conviction for voluntary manslaughter. Due to aggravating factors such as concealing the crime, misleading investigators, and delaying court proceedings with false claims, the court imposed the maximum sentence of 14 years, 11 months, and 29 days.

Case background

Sonam Norbu was charged with the murder of Namgay Dolkar after her body was found near the riverbank, approximately 500 metres from the Khariphu Bridge last August. The victim’s body was found in trapped on a log in the swollen river.

Earlier that day, the victim’s father had filed a missing report with the police. Call records indicated that the defendant was the last person to contact her.

During initial questioning, the defendant admitted they had planned to meet on the day she disappeared but claimed the meeting was canceled. He further alleged that the victim had plans to travel to Nepal.

After the victim’s body was discovered, the defendant admitted they had met on the day of her disappearance and had driven to their usual spot near the Khariphu Bridge.

According to his account, an argument escalated into a physical altercation, during which the victim allegedly struck him. He claimed to have restrained her by placing his hands around her neck but insisted he released her when she “calmed down.”

He claimed that in response, he restrained her by putting his hands around her neck but released her once she “calmed down.”

According to Sonam Norbu, the victim then exited the car, threatened to jump, and ultimately leaped off the bridge. In a state of panic, the defendant fled the scene without notifying authorities and returned home to his wife.