Christians’ confidence in the judiciary in Nepal was shattered after a court sentenced a 63-year-old pastor to ten years in prison on rape accusations that the complainant later renounced, church leaders reported in August.
Pastor Govinda Prasad Dhakal, 63, was sentenced upon conviction for ‘frequently raping a minor’ who he and his wife had adopted in 2016. Christian leaders and his family roundly refute the allegation, citing an attempt by the alleged victim’s family to extort money.
‘We are not happy to see the verdict, because everything was pre-decided,’ said Tanka Subedi, chair of Nepal’s Religious Liberty Forum.