A bench of Judge Tek Narayan Kunwar sentenced Khadka of Phasku VDC -8, Dolakha to life in prison after the latter confessed his crime. Police had arrested Khadka from Kakarvitta of Jhapa district on April 20 some 18 years after the murder of Father Gaffney.
Father Gaffney of Jawalakhel-based St Xavier's School had been murdered in Lalitpur on December 13, 1997. Admitting the crime while recording his statement at the court, Khadka said that his friend Man Bahadur Bhandari had introduced him to Father Gaffney. Khadka was then asked to serve him. He, however, claimed that Father Gaffney had unnatural sex with him and also performed oral sex on him but never paid him.Khadka said he planned the murder after Father Gaffney refused payment despite repeated requests. He said he ultimately murdered the father on December 13, 1997. That day too, he had demanded money but Gaffney refused to pay, said Khadka. Khadka in a fit of rage hacked Gaffney to death with a khukuri and decamped with Rs 22,000 stolen from his cupboard. To avoid arrest, Khadka then left for India and began to work as a laborer.
This is the case with the highest number of probe teams formed to investigate a murder.
Following a lead from contacts and call details, police were able to dig information and arrest Khadka. Father Gafney, who was 65 at the time of his death, was born and grew up in Ohio in the USA. He established the St Xavier's Social Service Center at Jawalakhel in 1970 and lived permanently in Nepal after taking Nepali citizenship. He was living in Jhamsikhel, Lalitpur when he was murdered.
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