KATHMANDU: A court in Nepal on Wednesday sentenced former star cricket captain Sandeep Lamichhane to eight years in prison for rape.

Lamichhane, 23, was once the poster boy for cricket in Nepal and the leg-spinner’s on-field success had boosted the sport’s profile in the Himalayan republic.

In 2022, he was accused of raping a young woman in a Kathmandu hotel but was freed on bail and returned to the squad to compete in international tournaments.

He was convicted of rape in December after a repeatedly delayed trial that had left him free to continue his sporting career, with his sentence handed down on Wednesday.

“The court has sentenced him to eight years,” Kathmandu district court official Ramu Sharma told AFP.

He was also ordered to pay a court fine of 300,000 Nepalese rupees ($2,255) and a further 200,000 rupees ($1,500) to the victim “considering the mental impact” his attack had on her.

Lamichhane, who is not in custody, was not in court for the sentencing.

His lawyer, Saroj Ghimire, told AFP he “will appeal the decision in a higher court”.

The victim had said she was a minor when she was raped, but the court in a previous ruling said that she was 18.

Lamichhane consistently denied the charge against him and enjoyed strong public support despite the accusation.

When authorities issued an arrest warrant, Lamichhane initially failed to return from Jamaica, where he was playing in the Caribbean Premier League.

He was dismissed as national captain and arrested, but Nepal lifted his playing ban after he was freed on bail.

This allowed him to remain on the national team, including for the World Cup qualifiers and the 2023 Asia Cup. Hundreds of cheering cricket fans welcomed him when he first returned to the field in February last year.

But his continued playing career has also sparked anger and caused numerous Nepalis to disavow the team. Scotland’s cricketers refused to shake hands with him after their matches during an international tournament in Dubai.

Cricket does not enjoy the same adulation in mountainous Nepal as it does elsewhere in South Asia. But it has been growing in popularity, with Nepal given ODI status by the world governing body in 2018.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2024