Angulana double murder: Police officer convicts appeal to SC

By S.S Selvanayagam

The Supreme Court yesterday (14) listed to be mentioned on 23 July the appeal application filed by four Police officers who had been convicted by the Colombo High Court for a double murder in Angulana.

The Bench comprised Chief Justice Shirani A. Bandaranayake, Justices P.A Ratnayake and Priyasath Dep.

The Colombo High Court at Trial-at-Bar Judges Deepali Wijesundera, W.T.M.P Warawewa and Kumudini Wickremasinghe found guilty and sentenced to death a former Officer-in-Charge of the Angulana Police Station Inspecator T.J Newton, Police Sergeant Indrawansa Kumarasiri, Police Constable Nihal Jayaratne and former Home Guard Janapriya Senaratne.

The accused now appeal in respect of the judgment against them. The High Court found them guilty on eight charges preferred against them under Penal Code. They were charged with conspiracy to abduct, abduction and murder of two youths, namely Danuska Udayakantha Apponso and Dinesh Taranga Fernando on 12 August, 2009 when they were in Angulana Police Post custody.

The Trial-at-Bar judges also sentenced all four accused to 40 years rigorous imprisonment and fined them Rs. 100,000 each. In the event of default an additional six months will be added to the imposed sentence.

The death sentence was handed down in respect of the third, fourth, seventh charges. The first two indictments related to the charges of conspiring to abduct. The third and fourth indictments were conspiring to murder and exposing the two youths to danger. The fifth and sixth charges related to abduction and the seventh and eight was committing murder. All accused were charged with joining in to commit the offences.

The conviction on the first, second and fourth charges carried with it 10 years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 25,000 each count and in the event of default, an additional.

President’s Counsel Anil Silva appeared for the first Accused-Appellant while Saliya Peiris for second Accused-Appellant Newton, President’s counsel P.Kumarasinghe for third Accused-Appellant and President’s Counsel Ranjith Zarook for fourth Accused-Appellant. Additional Solicitor General Jayantha Jayasuriya appeared for the Attorney General.