Assault to death of suspect in police custody Two cops sent to the gallows

• Accused ordered to pay compensation of Rs. 1Mn each to the victim’s daughter 

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

Two former policemen attached to Peliyagoda Police Station were sentenced to death yesterday by the Colombo High Court after being found guilty of assaulting a suspect to death at the Police Station in 2005. 

The deceased had worked as a labourer at the residence of a police officer. The wife of the said police officer had filed a complaint against the deceased for the theft of a mobile phone. The deceased was illegally arrested and brutally assaulted after being detained at the Police Station.

High Court Judge Nawaratne Marasinghe ordered the two accused to pay a compensation of Rs. 1 million each to the daughter of the deceased.

The Attorney General had filed indictments against two accused, a Sub-Inspector of Police and a Police Constable attached to Peliyagoda Police Station, for committing the murder on or around July 13, 2005.