January 23: Wangdue District Court has found the Nyisho Gup Phub Dorji not guilty of embezzlement and official misconduct. Following investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission, four charges were filed against Gup Phub Dorji by the office of the Attorney General last May.

Gup Phub Dorji was charged with the embezzlement of Nu. 48,130 from payment made by the Samtengang Middle Secondary School to the people of Nyisho Gewog for firewood supplied by them, misusing proceeds from the sale of rice contributed by the community amounting to Nu. 32,000 and embezzling Nu. 10,000 from funds provided by the National Environment Commission (NEC) for constructing garbage bins.

Gup Phub Dorji was also accused of misusing Nu. 500,000 from sale of lottery tickets which was organized to raise money for reconstructing the Soegang Lhakhang.

A total of 200 booklets each containing 100 tickets were printed and distributed for sale to raise the money. 50 booklets of lottery tickets could not be accounted for.

The court found the defendant not guilty on all four counts. On the first charge, the court verdict says the prosecution failed to prove that the defendant had received more than Nu. 18,600 per year from the Samtengang Middle Secondary School.

It says the defendant had paid the money from the sale of rice contributed by the community to the BDFC office in Wangdue against the loan acquired by the community for reconstructing the Soegang Lhakhang.

The Nu. 10,000 for constructing garbage bins have been paid to the respective Tshogpas.

Of the 50 lottery tickets which could not be accounted for, 40 booklets were lost while in circulation for sale.

The court verdict says the remaining 10 booklets were missing counterfoils from the lot already accounted in the total income and expenditure of the Seogang Lhakhang.

It says the loss of 40 booklets was owing to the lack of expertise and management skills in the local leadership that is essential to successfully handle the sale of lottery.