The “Buddha Boy”, thought by some to be the reincarnation of the Buddha, was sentenced by a Nepalese court to 10 years in prison Monday for sexually assaulting an underage girl, according to a court official.
Ram Bahadur Bamjan was also ordered to pay the victim around US$3,700 in compensation, according to court official Sikinder Kaapar.
Bamjan attracted international attention as a teenager in 2005 when tens of thousands of people calling him the “Buddha Boy” visited him as he sat cross-legged, motionless in a Nepalese forest for almost 10 months without water, food, or sleep.
Many believed he was the reincarnation of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, who was born around 2,600 years ago. Buddhist scholars remain skeptical.
Bamjan was arrested on the outskirts of Kathmandu in January and convicted last week. Dilip Kumar Jha, his lawyer, said Bamjan would appeal the sentence. He has 70 days to do so.
According to police, around US$227,000 in Nepalese banknotes and US$23,000 in other currencies were taken during the arrest.
Bamjan is also suspected of being involved in the disappearance of four of his followers. Those chargers are still pending.
With the sexual and physical assault accusations, Bamjan’s popularity has diminished, but he continues to have camps where thousands gather to worship or live.
