Nepal cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane sentenced to jail, to stay behind bars for…

A Nepali court has handed an eight-year prison sentence to star cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane, convicted of rape in December 2023, according to reports from local media. The verdict, along with compensation and penalties, was delivered by the bench of Shishir Raj Dhakal after a recent hearing, as confirmed by court official Ramu Sharma.

Lamichhane, 23, who was once a symbol of cricket's ascent in Nepal, had his on-field success elevate the sport's profile in the Himalayan republic. The former Nepal cricket captain was found guilty of rape in a case involving a 17-year-old girl at a Kathmandu hotel. Despite being initially accused and released on bail in January, he continued to participate in international tournaments. Lamichhane's sentencing will be determined in the next hearing, as stated by his lawyer Saroj Ghimire.

The court's decision underscores that the event was deemed non-consensual. Lamichhane, at one point, failed to return from Jamaica, where he was playing in the Caribbean Premier League, upon the issuance of an arrest warrant. Following his return and subsequent arrest last year, Nepal initially lifted his playing ban after he was released on bail, but he was later dismissed as the national captain.