21 December 2024 12:00 am Views - 33
By Lakmal Sooriyagoda
The Colombo High Court yesterday notified the accused in the businessman Mohamed Shyam murder case that the Supreme Court’s five-judge bench has affirmed the death sentence and conviction of former DIG Vaas Gunawardena, his son Ravindu Vaas Gunawardena, and four police officers for the murder of millionaire businessman Mohamed Shyam.
On August 8 this year, the Supreme Court’s five-judge bench unanimously upheld the judgement of the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar, dated November 27, 2015, which imposed the death sentence on six accused.
Five of the accused, including former DIG Gunawardena, were produced before High Court Judge Adithya Patabendige and informed that the appeals filed by the accused had been dismissed by the Supreme Court. It was also revealed that the third accused, a Police Constable, had died while incarcerated.
Former DIG Vaas Gunawardena, his son Ravindu Vaas Gunawardena, and four police officers were sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar Bench for the murder of millionaire businessman Mohamed Shyam in 2013 in the Dompe area.
The accused who were sentenced to death are former DIG Vaas Gunawardena, his son Ravindu Vaas Gunawardena, Sub Inspector Indika Bamunuge, Police Constable (PC) Gamini Sarath Chandra, PC Priyanka Sanjeewa, and PC Kelum Ranga. Through their appeal, the six accused sought the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction to review and set aside their convictions and the death sentence imposed by the High Court.