Murder committed 20 years ago Six sentenced to death by Hambantota HC

• The judge held that the prosecution had established the charges against six accused beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced them to death and acquitted the other 15 accused

By Dileep Jayasekara   

A group of six accused who stood indicted with murder 20 years ago were found guilty and sentenced to death by Hambantota High Court on Monday afternoon (22).   
The accused Saman Bulathgama (81), Seenipellage Lalith Prasanna (43), Ranasinghe Arachchige Jinadasa (80), Hewa Halpage Wasantha(46), Dilan Manjula (39), and H.M. Navaratne (38) were residents of Gonnoruwa and Ketenwewa in Hambantota. 

They had on April 14, 2003, assaulted to death with clubs and sharp weapons Wijesinghe Kankanamge Nandatissa (30), a resident of Ketenwewa during a brawl over a previous animosity.   

Hambantota Police had arrested 21 suspects and after non-summary proceedings in Hambantota Magistrate’s Court, they had been committed to stand trial in the High Court under nine counts.   

The judge held that the prosecution had established the charges against six accused beyond reasonable doubt and sentenced them to death and acquitted the other 15 accused.