Sandeep Lamichhane was given an eight-year prison term for rape by a court in Kathmandu, according to the Kathmandu Post.
The sentence was announced on January 10, after a single-judge tribunal of the Kathmandu District Court deemed the Nepal legspinner guilty of raping an 18-year-old woman last month.
Furthermore, in addition to fining him Rs 300,000 (approximately USD 2,260), the tribunal mandated that he compensate the victim with Rs 200,000 (USD 1506).
Early in September of last year, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) suspended Lamichhane, the then-captain of Nepal, in connection with the issuance of an arrest warrant in Kathmandu. The news that a complaint had been filed against Lamichhane at a Kathmandu police station subsequently transpired.
Lamichhane was in the West Indies at the time, participating in the CPL 2022 with the Jamaica Tallawahs. It was declared by the club that Lamichhane would be withdrawing from the tournament promptly. Upon his arrival at the Kathmandu airport in early October, he was apprehended.
Lamichhane had written on Facebook shortly before his arrest that he would “fully cooperate in all phases of the investigation and will fight a legal battle to prove my innocence,” describing the allegation as ” conspiracy and wrongful allegation.”
Amid objections from rights organizations at home, he rejoined the Nepal squad in February of this year for a Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series played at home against Namibia and Scotland. Following each game, opposition players refrained from shaking his hand. Following this, in early 2023, he was not included in the Nepalese squad for the Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series in Dubai; however, he subsequently became an injury substitute for the team. Since then, he has continued to represent Nepal, including in June-July of last year in Zimbabwe for the ODI World Cup qualifier and in August-September for the ODI Asia Cup.
Lamichhane presided over PARSA Club XI to a victory over Nepal Army Club in a Nepal Pro Club Championship match held in Birgunj on December 29, the day of his conviction.
