Nepali cricket star Sandeep Lamichhane was convicted of rape on Friday after a repeatedly delayed trial, leaving him free to continue his sporting career.
The 23-year-old Lamichhane was once the poster boy for the rise of cricket in Nepal and the leg spinner’s onfield success has boosted the prestige of the game in the Himalayan republic.
Last year he was accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in a hotel in Kathmandu, but in January he was released on bail and returned to the team to compete in international tournaments.
A court convicted Lamichhane on Friday, his lawyer Saroj Ghimire told AFP.
“Their punishment will be decided in the next hearing,” he said.
District court official Ramu Sharma confirmed the decision to AFP.
“This event was not consensual,” he said.