Sentence: Yebilaptsa Middle Secondary School’s (YMSS) Assistant Principal Karma Sangay, who murdered a 14-year-old student on October 16 last year, has been handed a nine-year term in prison.

The 37-year-old was detained by the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) on suspicion of murdering a female student studying in Class VII on the night of October 16. The girl, who went missing after noon that day, was found dead in Karma Sangay’s house, about 200 meters outside the school campus.

The body of the girl was found under the bed with a towel tied around her neck. Karma Sangay was found sleeping on the bed.

Zhemgang court sentenced Karma Sangay according to section 140 of the Penal Code of Bhutan, which says that a defendant shall be guilty of the offence of voluntary manslaughter if he or she possesses the intention to kill but without premeditated malice, acts under the violence of sudden passion occasioned by provocation such that a reasonable person would be induced to cause the death of other person.

According to court’s verdict, Karma Sangay had asked the deceased during morning SUPW on October 16 to lock the door of his house. He then told her of alleged illicit affair between the deceased’s father and his wife. Later that morning, the deceased went to Karma Sangay’s house to seek clarification.

“The deceased after coming to the suspect’s home with a towel in her hand sought proof and threatened to commit suicide if alleged affair was true,” the verdict says.

Infuriated, Karma Sangay strangulated the deceased to death using the towel she was carrying. He then hid her body under his bed.

Tempa Wangdi, Bumthang