Two men, who were accused of repeatedly raping three autistic girls in their care at a prominent orphanage, have been sentenced to 16 and a half years of imprisonment each.

 

As reported by ZeeNewsIndia, a judge at the district court in Kathmandu found the two men guilty of rape on Monday evening in a case that has cast a spotlight on Nepal`s massive orphanage industry.

“Justice Pashupati Acharya has sentenced Rabin Shrestha and Rabin Chalise to 16 and a half years of imprisonment each,” said court spokesman Shree Prasad Sanjel.

“Both of them were also ordered to give 100,000 rupees ($1,000) as compensation to each of the victims,” Sanjel told AFP.

Shrestha, 43, worked as head of adoptions at Bal Mandir orphanage, while Chalise volunteered as a fund-raiser for the institution. The girls, aged 13, 14 and 15, complained to a rights group which alerted police in June to the attacks.

Activist Salina Tamang, 29, whose group Action for Child Rights International pushed the case, said the verdict sent a clear warning to other orphanage employees against wrongdoing.