Court docket in Nepal finds Lamichhane responsible of raping an 18-year-old lady at a Kathmandu resort in 2022.
A court docket in Nepal has discovered the nation’s highest profile cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane responsible of raping an 18-year-old lady and has fastened January 10 for his sentencing.
The judgement was introduced after a repeatedly delayed trial that had left him free to proceed his sporting profession.
The 23-year-old has been the face of cricket in Nepal and was the one participant from the nation to participate in outstanding Twenty20 leagues internationally.
He was suspended as Nepal’s captain final yr and brought into custody after police issued an arrest warrant for him over the assault in 2022. He was later launched on bail.
Lamichhane might withstand 10 years in jail. His legal professionals stated he would enchantment the decision to a better court docket.
“We didn’t count on this judgement … we’re annoyed,” lawyer Sabita Bhandari Baral informed the Reuters information company about Friday’s verdict by the Kathmandu District Court docket.
“We’ll undoubtedly enchantment,” she stated.
District Court docket official Ramu Sharma confirmed the decision to the AFP information company.
“The occasion was not consensual,” he stated.
The previous captain’s on-field success has boosted the game’s profile within the Himalayan nation over the previous few years.
When authorities issued an arrest warrant, Lamichhane initially didn’t return from Jamaica, the place he was enjoying within the Caribbean Premier League.
He was dismissed as nationwide captain and arrested final yr, however Nepal lifted his enjoying ban after he was freed on bail.
This allowed him to stay within the nationwide group, together with for the World Cup qualifiers and September’s Asia Cup.
Lamichhane has constantly denied the cost in opposition to him and loved sturdy public help regardless of the accusations.
A whole bunch of cheering cricket followers welcomed him when he returned to the sector in February.
However his continued enjoying profession has additionally sparked anger and brought on quite a few Nepalis to disavow the group.
Scotland’s cricketers refused to shake arms with him after their matches throughout a world match in Dubai.
The case took greater than a yr to conclude after repeated delays on procedural grounds.
Cricket has been rising in recognition in Nepal and the nation was given one-day worldwide standing by the world governing physique in 2018.
Lamichhane has been a significant a part of this rise as probably the most sought-after Nepali cricketer in profitable leagues world wide.
The leg spinner’s massive break got here when he was snapped up for the profitable Indian Premier League, the world’s richest cricket match, in 2018.