A Nepalese court on Monday sentenced a guru whom his followers consider a reincarnation of Buddha to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting children.
Ram Bahadur Bomjan, nicknamed “Little Buddha” or “Buddha Boy”, gained fame as a teenager, his disciples attributing to him the ability to meditate for months without water, food or sleep.
Last week, he was found guilty of child sexual assault by the court in the southern city of Sarlahi. “He was sentenced to 10 years in prison,” Sadan Adhikari, a court clerk, told AFP on Monday.
Ram Bahadur Bomjan was also fined 500,000 Nepalese rupees (3,489 euros).
The 33-year-old guru is supported by devoted followers. He has long been accused of physically and sexually assaulting followers. He has been on the run from authorities for several years. He was arrested in January near the capital Kathmandu.
Dozens of complaints against him
According to the police, a sum of 30 million Nepalese rupees (more than 200,000 euros) in cash was discovered during his arrest, as well as foreign currency.
Dozens of complaints of violence were filed against him in 2010. He explained that he beat the victims because they interfered with his meditation.
An 18-year-old nun accused him in 2018 of raping her in a monastery.
The following year, police opened another investigation after families reported the disappearance of four of his followers. The investigation has yielded no results to date.
Before going underground, Ram Bahadur Bomjan could gather tens of thousands of people to attend his so-called miraculous meditations in the jungle.
At the age of 16, he disappeared for nine months in a wilderness area of eastern Nepal. Buddhist monks held 24-hour vigils to pray for his safe return.
