Thinley Namgay 

The Thimphu Dzongkhag Court sentenced former Trongsa Dzongdag Lhab Dorji to two years in prison for an aggravated battery case.

However, the prison term is compoundable. 

Lhab Dorji attacked Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) official at the Supreme Court on April 29.  Following the incident, Police detained Lhab Dorji and his family members. 

The incident occurred when they were exiting the courtroom after the court convicted Lhab Dorji, his wife and two others in the illegal land case.

The Thimphu Dzongkhag Court judgement said the ACC official was punched and suffered a cut on his left hand.

The offence is graded misdemeanour as per section 159 of the Penal Code of Bhutan.

OAG appealed to the court on September 12.  Lhab Dorji confessed to the Police that he attacked the official.

OAG prosecutors claimed that Lhab Dorji should pay compensation to ACC official as he threatened to kill the official.

The court dismissed the ACC’s petition to charge Lhab Dorji, his wife, daughter, and two sons for voluntary manslaughter.

The court ruled that OAG had initially convicted Lhab Dorji only on battery and not on an attempt to voluntary manslaughter.