Soldier gets life sentence for heroin possession

13 August 2015 02:09 am Views - 4211

A former army major who was found guilty of possession of six kilograms of heroin was sentenced to life imprisonment by Colombo High Court Judge Lalith Jayasuriya.

Sentencing the prisoner, the judge said this was an offence that warranted the death sentence, but it had been confined only to statutory books. Therefore, he said, he would sentence the convict to life imprisonment.

Prosecuting Counsel Sanil Kularatne said the image of the army had been tarnished due to this heroin deal that gave financial benefits to the LTTE. Describing the convict as a traitor who betrayed not only the military but also the entire country, he sought a severe punishment that would serve as a deterrent.

The convict is Kamal Santa Kariyawasam of Ampegama, Galle. He was arrested while transporting heroin in a private bus at the Parayanakulam checkpoint. He had obtained this haul of heroin from a location in an LTTE held area.

Acting on a tip off, Murukkan Police OIC Upul Seneviratne had made arrangements for the arrest. Kariyawasam is an engineering graduate of the Kotalawala Defence Academy.(Manopriya Gunasekara)