Journalist Thapa’s murderers sentenced to 20 years in prison
Media Action Nepal welcomes the court verdict and demands with authorities to investigate and prosecute crimes against journalists using the criminal justice system so to provide justice to the conflict victims.
KATHMANDU/December 13: A district court of Nepal has sentenced three Maoist cadres to 20 years in prison (life imprisonment) for abducting and killing journalist Dekendra Raj Thapa during the conflict. On December 12, a single bench of Dailekh District Court Judge Dandapani Lamichhane sentenced the main accused Arun alias Bam Bahadur Khadka, Mukti alias Bam Bahadur Khadka and Keshav Khadka to 20 years imprisonment.
Thapa, a correspondent of the state owned Radio Nepal was murdered by Maoists cadres at Dwari of Naumule on August 11, 2004. Similarly Bhakti Ram Lamichhane, who assisted in burying the body after the murder, was sentenced to three years in prison, said court judge Indra Karki.
Mukti alias Bam Bahadur Khadka and Keshav Khadka are still absconding, while police have arrested Bam Bahadur Khadka alias Arun and remanded him in custody for trial.
Meantime, talking to media rights monitoring desk of Media Action Nepal Laxmi Thapa, journalist Thapa’s wife stated that she felt some justice from the court’s verdict adding that the other fugitive accused should also come to justice soon. An effective investigation is needed into the incidents of non-judicial killings during the conflict, she added.
As many as 35 journalists were killed by the state and the then Maoists during the ten-year- long armed conflict in Nepal (1996-2006).
Media Action Nepal welcomes the court verdict and demands with authorities to investigate and prosecute crimes against journalists using the criminal justice system so to provide justice to the conflict victims.
Photo credit : Dhruba Basnet/Nepali Times