Mongar court sentenced a 34-year-old woman to four years and six months in prison for burglary, arson and larceny on July 14.

Choney Zangmo from Lumang in Trashigang was given a concurrent sentence of four years and six months although she was sentenced to eight years and six months, four years for burglary, four years for arson and six months for larceny.

The court also ordered her to pay Nu 156,619 within three months to the arson and burglary victim and Nu 6,394 to the larceny victim.

The burglary incident occurred on January 18 this year when Choney Zangmo broke the lock of the victim’s house in Kedheykhar in Mongar and stole a pair of gold earring, pair of gold brooch, bowl, cup, a kishuthara, silver and copper medals, corals, old currency of Nu 8,455 and cash amount of Nu 26,000.

Four days after committing the burglary, she went back to the house and set it on fire.

The court stated that she violated section 235 of the Penal Code of Bhutan, which states, “A defendant shall be guilty of the offence of burglary, if the defendant unlawfully enters or remains in a building, an occupied structure, or a separately secured or occupied portion of a building or structure used as an abode, industry, or business, with or without force, with the intent to commit a crime therein, unless the building, occupied structure, or separately secured or occupied portion of the building or structure is at the time open to the public or the defendant is licensed or privileged to enter or remain.”

She was also convicted of violating section 231 which states that a defendant shall be guilty of the offence of arson if he or she starts a fire and destroy or damage the property of another.

Both the crimes are graded a fourth-degree felony.

Choney Zangmo was also convicted of entering another house in Changshingpek in Mongar on March 28 last year and stealing a pair of earrings, a small dorji, three rings and pair of coral.

The court ordered her to pay Nu 6,934 to the victim.

She was convicted of violating section 240 of the Penal Code of Bhutan, which states, “A defendant shall be guilty of the offence of larceny, if the defendant takes or moves the property of another person without the owner’s consent and with the intent to deprive the owner of the property or to appropriate the same to the defendant or a third person,”

The larceny is graded a value-based sentencing and Choney Zangmo was sentenced to six months in prison.

Tashi Phuntsho