By Gopal Sharma
KATHMANDU, March 26 (Reuters) – A Nepali panel set up to investigate the violence during anti-corruption protests in September last year has recommended that former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli be prosecuted for “negligence” for failing to prevent dozens of deaths.
The report comes two days before rapper-turned politician Balendra Shah is sworn in as the new prime minister after winning a landslide in the parliamentary election following the protests.
The panel held Oli, 74, responsible for not taking any action to stop hours of firing that killed at least 19 Gen Z protesters on the first day of anti-corruption demonstrations that forced him to resign.
A total of 76 people were killed and 2,522 wounded during two days of unrest, the panel said in its report released late on Wednesday night. The government had earlier said 77 people had died.
“As the executive head … Oli should be held responsible for anything good or bad,” the 970-page report said in Nepali.
The report also held Oli’s home minister Ramesh Lekhak and the then police chief Chandra Kuber Khapung responsible and said they should be prosecuted. None of them could be immediately reached for comment.
LENGTHY JAIL TERMS
If prosecuted as recommended by the panel, and found guilty by the court, all three could face up to 10 years in jail.
But legal experts said the government must hold criminal investigations before formally charging them in court.
“It is not a charge sheet and they cannot be jailed on the basis of this report,” said Dinesh Tripathi, a senior independent lawyer.
“There has to be a criminal investigation by police … The government can file the case in the court only after that,” he said, adding that the process could take at least a couple of months.
Analysts say whether or not to take forward the recommendations is the responsibility of Shah, 35, and his Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
The panel also recommended action against dozens of other officials and security personnel for the crackdown.
Families of the victims of the protests have been demanding punishment for those who were responsible for the crackdown.
(Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Saad Sayeed)
