6 January 2006- The Thimphu dzongkhag court has asked a 42-year old Japanese volunteer, Mr. Kenzo Nagashima, to pay a sum of Nu. 6,000 in lieu of two months imprisonment for “interfering” with a quarrelling couple on the night of November 1.
Mr. Nagashima was stabbed by a man who was arguing with his wife in front of the handicraft center on the main street in Thimphu when he tried to stop them from arguing.
Mr. Nagashima, two boys who were called as witnesses, and the husband all made contradictory statements in court.
The Thimphu court, passing its verdict on December 29, 2005, stated that all of them had violated section 158 of the Penal Code of Bhutan which states that “A defendant shall be guilty of the offence of battery if the defendant purposely uses physical force of an adverse nature on another person”.
The court sentenced one of the boys to one month in prison and the husband to one year.
