Vaas Gunawardena, son sentenced to four years for abduction and assault

Former DIG Vass Gunawardena, his son Ravindu Sameera Vaas Gunawardena, and three others were sentenced to four years’ rigorous imprisonment by the Colombo High Court for abducting and assaulting Dhanushka Nipuna Ramanayaka, a student at the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) in Malabe, on August 4, 2009.

Three other accused, including Vass Gunawardena’s wife, Shyamali Priyadarshani Perera, were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

The court imposed fines totaling Rs. 102,000 on the convicted individuals. Colombo High Court Judge Amal Ranaraja ruled that the prosecution had proven the charges beyond reasonable doubt. As a result, the former DIG, his son, and three police officers, Indika Pushpa Kumara, Damith Priyankara de Silva, and Lalith Shantha Vithana were sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment.

Vass Gunawardena and his son, who are already on death row for the murder of businessman Mohamed Siyam, are currently held at Welikada Prison.

The Attorney General had filed indictments against Vass Gunawardena, his wife, son, and five police officers under 13 counts related to the abduction and assault of Nipuna Ramanayake.

Deputy Solicitor General Sudarshana De Silva represented the Attorney General.