Nepal’s star cricket player is sentenced to 8 years in prison for rape and ordered to pay fine

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepal’s star cricket player and former captain of the national team was sentenced to eight years in prison on Wednesday for rape and ordered to pay a fine.

The Kathmandu District Court judge issued the sentence for Sandeep Lamichhane. He has the next 100 days to make an appeal.

Lamichhane’s attorneys were not available for comment, but local news reports said they were likely to appeal.

Court official Chandra Prasad Panthi told reporters that Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal also ordered Lamichhane to pay 300,000 rupees ($2,250) as a fine and another 200,000 rupees ($1,500) to the victim as compensation.

The victim said she was sexually assaulted on Aug. 21, 2022. Lamichhane was arrested soon afterward and spent time in jail before being allowed out on bail while the case was heard in court.

The courts also allowed him to play matches.

The identity of the victim has been kept confidential.