UK court grants Col Lama bail

A Nepal Army Colonel held in the United Kingdom in January on torture charges has been granted bail.

A judge at Chelmsford Crown Court has now freed him on £10,000 bail, British media reported.

Kumar Lama, who was in UK to meet his family, was arrested from Sussex based on a complaint filed by a person allegedly tortured by him. Advocacy Forum, a Nepal-based human rights group, had helped file the case in collaboration with a UK law firm.

Col Lama is expected to be freed next week after posting the bail amount, Nepali ambassador to the UK, Suresh Chandra Chalise, told the BBC. However, local media said Lama will not be allowed to leave the kingdom until the case is settled.

The next court hearing in the case is due to take place in June. Nepalnews.com