Death penalty for former OIC & three subordinates

The former Angulana police OIC and three officers accused of abduction  and the killing of  two youths while in custody were yesterday sentenced to death by a panel of High Court Judges.

In addition each of them were imposed with 40 years rigorous  imprisonment and a fine of Rs 100,000.

The accused Galagamage Indrawansa Kumarasiri, IP Tumbegedera Vittie Newton (former OIC), Nihal Dhammika Jayaratne and Janapriya Senaratne were  sentenced by Trial –at – Bar Judges Ms. Deepali Wijesundera (President) W.M.P.T.B Wararwewa and Ms. Kumudini Wickramasinghe for conspiring to abduct, abducting, conspiring to kill and killing youths Dinesh Tharanga Fernnando and Danuska Udayakantha Aponso of Angulana on or about August 12, 2009  while in the  Angulana  police custody The interpreter court mudliyar Mohamed Nafler read over the judgment to the accused in open court. The judgment affirmed that the trial -at – bar had found that the prosecution had proved the case beyond doubt. Ms. Deepali Wijesundera (President) W.M.P.T.B Wararwewa and Ms. Kumudini Wickramasinghe for conspiring to abduct, abducting, conspiring to kill and killing youths Dinesh Tharanga Fernnando and Danuska Udayakantha Aponso of Angulana on or about August 12, 2009  while in the  Angulana  police custody
The interpreter court mudliyar Mohamed Nafler read over the judgment to the accused in open court. The judgment affirmed that the trial -at – bar had found that the prosecution had proved the case beyond doubt.

On  the  first two counts of conspiring to abduct and abducting the accused were each sentenced to 40 years imprisonment with  a  fine of Rs 100,000. On August 16, 2009 the CID took over investigations into the killings and a team of CID officers  headed by  ASP Shani Abeysekera and IP Ranjith Munasinghe conducted investigations and arrested the accused.

The Attorney General indicted the accused in the High court. The case was heard before a trial-at-bar on the instructions of the then Chief Justice under the provisions of section 456 of Criminal Procedure Code and section 12 of Judicature Act.

Another five police constables Gayan Chaturanga Thotawatte, Rohan Bandara Nawaratne, Anura Pradeep Kumara, Chamil Thushara Kulasinghe, Nissanka Dissanayake who were also remanded were later released under the instructions of the Attorney General.

During the hearing the  accused were prosecuted by Deputy Solicitor General  Jayantha Jayasinghe with Riaz Bary,  Chaminda Atukorale and Lakmini Girihagama.

The first accused was defended by Anil Silva PC, second accused by Thirantha Walaliyadda PC, the third accused by Senior Counsel U.R. De Silva and the fourth by Senior Counsel Gamini Alwis. Srinath Perera PC watched the interests of the aggrieved party.

 

Courtesy: Daily Mirror