‘Ambassador Lucky’s probe results soon’

Kathmandu, December 9

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said it is working to ascertain the truth regarding the human trafficking allegation levelled against Nepal’s Ambassador to Australia Lucky Sherpa.

The ambassador’s former driver Wongchhu Sherpa has accused her and her husband of human trafficking.

Ambassador Sherpa arrived in Kathmandu yesterday after the ministry summoned her as part of the investigation being carried out by the ministry’s three-member team.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said Sherpa arrived in Kathmandu yesterday and that an internal investigation process had begun. “Investigation results will come out soon,” Gyawali told THT.

The ministry’s Assistant Spokesperson Ram Babu Dhakal said the ministry was working to ascertain whether the charges levelled against her were true. “Further steps will be taken as per the findings of the investigation,” he said. However, sources had told THT yesterday that Co-chairpersons of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal had already decided to recall Ambassador Sherpa as she ‘failed to work as expected’.

Ambassador Sherpa was appointed ambassador during PM Oli’s first term in 2015-16.

Ambassador Sherpa’s former driver Wongchhu Sherpa accused her and her husband of human trafficking, saying he had collected money for them from some people promising them safe passage to Australia. Talking to THT over phone from Australia, Wongchhu said he had paid Rs 3.3 million to Ambassador Sherpa’s husband and her mother to go to Australia. He said he flew to Australia with Ambassador Sherpa on 9 June 2017.

Wongchhu said he had collected Rs 250,000 from Niphuti Sherpa, Rs 400,000 from Tashi Sherpa and Rs 1.4 million from Nim Dawa Sherpa at Ambassador Sherpa’s behest. He said he told the three persons he had filed a case against Sherpa in Australia and would return their money once he got it from the ambassador, but they wrongly implicated his wife in the case.

Ambassador Sherpa had earlier told THT over phone from Australia that Wongchhu’s allegation against her and her family was fabricated.

READ ALSO: