The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Out of the seven convicts, three still serve the sentences, unable to pay thrimthue while the main culprit has to serve 3-years imprisonment for illegal sale of tobacco products.
Pema Gyelmo, 46, divorcee and a mother of five children from Paro was convicted for two years and two months for the offence of promoting prostitution. The court also pronounced an additional three years of imprisonment for possession of tobacco products.
This was the verdict passed by the Paro Dzongkhag court on 16 October.
However, Pema Gyelmo paid thrimthue for her prison term of two years and two months but has to serve three years which is a non-bailable offence for smuggling tobacco products.
Along with her, Mani Wangmo, 31, a divorcee with a daughter from Trashiyangtse, Ita Maya Subba, 30, mother of three, divorced and re-married from Tsirang also received prison terms of a year and a month each.
Lamkey, 32, mother of five, from Dopshari, Paro, Gaki, 28, mother of a daughter, from Shaba, Paro, divorced and re-married and Sonam Wangzom, 26, married with three children from Lhuentse all got a prison term of one year and a month.
From the group Lamkey and Mani Wangmo could not pay thrimthue (compensation in lieu of imprisonment).
The court also announced the same prison term for MD Islam, 20, from Jaigaon, for patronizing a prostitute.
On 1 August, Police discovered 1,600 cigarette packages, more than over 200 rolls of biri, and large quantity of various brands of chewing tobacco. Police also seized Nu 72,000.
Case history
On 31 July, Sonam Wangzom was arrested along with a MD Islam, after they were caught from the general shop/bar belonging to Pema Gyelmo.
MD Islam had gone to the shop for a drink but since it was Tuesday, he did not get drink. However, he met Sonam Wangzom, who was also in the bar.
She was paid Nu 300 while Pema Gyelmo was paid Nu 100 for letting them use the room in her shop.
Based on the information received from the sources, Police then raided the shop and on knocking the door of one of the rooms in the shop, MD Islam along with Sonam Wangzom was found inside. They were arrested for questioning.
Then on interrogation, Sonam Wangzom had revealed the names of Lamkey and Gaki who were also in the prostitution business and were arrested on 3 August.
Both the convicts were well known to Pema Gyelmo, who was running the brothel in the guise of a shop.
Pema Gyelmo is a repeat offender and was arrested, and convicted for illegal sale of the controlled substances in 2009. She had served a sentence of six months.
All of them come from poor family background and to sustain livelihoods got into such an activity, said a source.
Chencho Dema
She so sucks. The reporter has really robbed off someone’s livelihood. What do she care about? Get a life or a sack, digging graves.
reporter was a man having civic sense…..prostitution is menace in this age of deadly diseases like AIDS ….what that informer did was within the scope of responsible person…………and prostitution is criminal in nature……..and guilty must be punished in accordance with law….. …………….
MD Islam is a non national and MOH and Dzongda should be deporting back to Bengal immdiately after serving the prison terms.Such National having Islamic background is threat to the country to the Bhutan.Take the example of Burma where Budhhist Temples and Statues are destroyed such great scrutiny should have taken place and many non nationals are taking advantage of Bhutanese simple and frank people.Instead of harrressing Lama and Dzongda should be more vigilent on armed Ngolop and Terrorists.Whose responsibility is to brief Non nationals prior to entry to Bhutan and strong immigration and deportation Law?Petty Construction Workers/Domestic Shop Helpers permits should not be extended beyond one year as per Taiwanese Law and immigrants workers are to be deported immediately so that no problem are arose.That is a weak area Bhutan needs to be strong and educate the stack holders.
MD Islam is a non national and MOH and Dzongda should be deporting him back to Bengal immdiately after serving the prison terms.Such National having Islamic background is threat to the country to the Bhutan.Take the example of Burma where Budhhist Temples and Statues are destroyed such great scrutiny should have taken place and many non nationals are taking advantage of Bhutanese simple and frank people.Instead of harrressing Lama, Dzongda should be more vigilent on armed Ngolop and Terrorists.Whose responsibility is to brief Non nationals prior to entry to Bhutan and strong immigration and deportation Law?Petty Construction Workers/Domestic Shop Helpers permits should not be extended beyond one year as per Taiwanese Law(to be implemented) and immigrants workers are to be deported immediately so that no problem are arose.That is a weak area Bhutan needs to be strong and educate the stack holders.
It sucks when somebody interferes into somebody lives. They were all doing for their livelihood..so many lives destroyed…imagine abut their children? Mothers have been doing so as to keep the house running..what wrong did they do? I find no wrong doings? Such is the reality? May their children have better lives…
interfering which is against law is valid…….no need to feel sad bro…..guilty must be punished ..what ever the state of accused…..those woman could have go to village and work in farms……..or look other alternatives so that they should not have to tell lie about their profession to their children where she can held her head high with dignity………..
Constructive criticism always lacks in Bhutanese people, Just look at the top story “Court send women for five years imprisonment selling tobacco and prostitution. Just look in another way “Court send women for five years imprisonment for earning a bread for her fatherless children ” Do they deserve to be publicized openly my media. I would say, Media has really sucked up the life of those children s, whose mother are the victims.In fact, our media’s have not covered the hidden story of those victimized womens.
Whatever the crime or judgement, besides the promoters name , the others names should not have been published or last least not in detail. They will now not longer only be serving the sentence passed by the court but also a life long sentence passed by society which will be served by their innocent children.
Were the names mentioned because they are defenseless women ??
why their names shouldn’t be published…….this is democracy and freedom of speech….in right sense …freedom of speech shudnt go beyond defamation ……….they were running prostitution…..
Is Woman and child protection agency doing something on it?
why should NCWC …back or do something which violets the law……and it is beyond their authority to help those people involved in…….for instance if man is caught molesting woman….he will be charge sheeted for his crime…..dnt spoon feed our woman too much..they have to walk up in accordance with their own capabilities…….as we bhutanese man have never underestimated our womens….like they do in arab world……………so those woman involved should be punished in accordance with criminal procedure code …..guilty must be punished and should deter who wants to run such business…………..
they will reciprocate only if it is their relatives. And torture other person even for small reason. People working in “Woman and child protection agency” are there to label their personal scores nothing more.
The report says “However, Pema Gyelmo paid thrimthue for her prison term of two years and two months but has to serve three years which is a non-bailable offence for smuggling tobacco products.” What is non-bailable here? where is the issue of bailable and non-bailable? The reporter of this news doesnt understand what is “bail” only haha.
How can a offences be bailable once the judgement is out. The issue of bail which is “bailable and non-bailable” would arise only during the trial only.
I think reporter is trying to say compoundable and non-compoundable offence. Am i right la? above mentioned offence being non-compoundable, cannot be paid thrimthue.
without awarding the verdict how can someone pay or say things what is bailable and non-bailable?? we to have flaw in the law that smuggling in tobacco products or possessing it beyond the limits would be punished to 3 years in prison terms where as if one attempts to murder someone or stave someone then that case is bailable,,,
I kept faith in this news site as well as the print out, but now i realize that the Bhutanese is not doing her duties in a ethical manner. Why mention the names, when other papers just write in bracket name withheld or broadcasters don’t show the culprits face. It really sucks. No ethical journalism at all. Bye bye the Bhutanese paper form now on.
purebhutanese should know to accept the reality….i dont see a reason to attack the journalist or the people involved in the prostitution and tobacco business blindly like u feel it. it has to be investigated well which the court has done it…in case if there is flaw in the investigation and the verdict awarded then as a responsible citizen, we have the right to attack and interfere in any sort of business.
The people of Bhutan are wise and courageous. Yes, Islam is a threat to Bhutanese way of life: Islamists should be deported because they specifically work to undermine social cohesion to gain converts to Islam. Just look at what’s happening here in England.
I am disturbed by the concept of thrimthue. If a guilty criminal can simply pay their way out of jail, how is justice served? Please, help me with expanding my understanding. Thrimthue serves neither justice, retribution, or rehabilitation. So, who gets what?
I am in agreement with concerns for the innocent children: What’s become of them? Anyone know?
Best Regards for Happiness.