15 December 2023 12:37 am Views - 64
By Ranjith Padmasiri and Pushpakumara Jayaratna
Kurunegala former Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa Vitharana and four others who stood indicted with demolishing King Buwanekabahu’s Palace and pleaded guilty and were sentenced to three-year rigorous imprisonment by Kurunegala High Court Judge Lal Bandara Ranasinhge yesterday.
Former Municipal Commissioner Pradeep Tilakaratne, former Municipal Engineer, Chaminda Bandara Adikari, Works Supervisor Ilalludeen Zulfikar, and Backhoe Operator S.P.Laxman Priyantha were the other accused.
At the commencement of the trial, the defence moved to amend the indictment sheet and Deputy Solicitor General Madhawa Thannakoon representing the Attorny General effected it. The accused stood indicted under five counts and they pleaded guilty of three counts each and they were sentenced to three year rigorous imprisonment under each count and in addition the first accused was fined Rs.25,000 and other Rs,50,000 each. They were ordered to pay Rs. 13.6 million as compensation for the building and sentenced to a further 6-year imprisonment in default of the compensation payment. At the commencement of the trial, the accused deposited the compensation payment in about two hours.
State Counsel submitted that the building destroyed by the accused was of archaeological importance and the offence committed by them was a serious one.
The High Court Judge held that the incident and drawn the attention of the entire country and that the accused were entitled to maximum punishment. He pointed out that the former Mayor as the first citizen of the city had acted in a very irresponsible manner.