Nepal's 'Buddha Boy' Sentenced To 10 Years In Child Abuse Case

JAKARTA - Nepal's court sentenced a 'Buddha Boy' to 10 years in prison, a man thousands of people believed to be the reincarnation of Buddhists in child molestation cases.

As a teenager, Ram Bahadur Bamjon drew international attention when in 2005, tens of thousands of people saw a Buddhist boy sitting in a tree in the dense forest southeast of Nepal for nearly 10 months.

Court official Sikainder Kaapar said a judge also ordered Bamjon (33 years) to pay compensation of USD 3,750 to the victim.

His lawyer, Dilip Kumar Jha, said he would appeal to a higher court.

Bamjon was previously arrested at home on the outskirts of Kathmandu in January 2024.