Four policemen sentenced to death by Hambantota HC
Had shot robbery suspect after taking him out of the house:
A first in police history, Hungama Crimes OIC included :
Four Police Officers including the Officer-In-Charge of the Crimes Division of the Hungama Police sentenced to death by the Hambantota High Court, the first time the death sentence has been imposed in the
history of Sri Lanka on four police officers. Hambantota High Court Judge Priyantha Liyanage handed down death sentences yesterday (15) to four police officers including the Officer-In-Charge of the Crimes Division of the Hungama Police Station who were found guilty of the offense of shooting and killing a suspect whom they went to take into custody in connection with a robbery 18 years ago at Matarawatte, Debarawewa, Tissamaharama.
The death sentence was imposed on the four accused, Officer-In-Charge of the Crimes Division of the Hungama Police, 58-year-old Inspector, Aranwala Gamage Upul, a resident of Ridiyagama, Ambalantota, retired Police Constable, resident at Tissamaharama, Jayanthi Vasage Susil Jayabandu (63), 51-year-old Sarambage Cyril, a resident of Dammulla Beliatta, a police constable attached to the State Intelligence Service at the Hambantota Port Police and 46-year-old Pathiraja Mudianselage Ranjith Susantha, who was a police constable of the Tissamaharama Police at that time and has currently been dismissed, residing at the address Ambanpola, Mahadivulwewa.
The four accused had launched an operation on June 29,2005 in the Matarawatte, Debarawewa,Tissamaharama area to take into custody a suspect in connection with three robberies.
They had raided the house of the suspect at about midnight, located in Matarawatte, Debarawewa and taken him into custody, brought him out of his resident and then told the suspect to run and shot him. This had been revealed during initial police investigations. The suspect who was killed inthe police shooting was Lokuhennadige Amila Mahesh of Matarawatte, Debarawewa. The Tissamaharama police had received a complaint that the suspect was lying dead near a neighbouring house and had a gun shot wound. Investigations had been carried out accordingly, on the instructions of the Superintendent of Police who had been in charge of the Tangalle Division at that time.
Subsequently, the four police officers who had carried out the raid had been arrested onsuspicion and produced before the Tissamaharama Magistrate’s Court. After the preliminary hearing the four accused were charged with carrying out murder on 09.06.2006 by the Attorney General in the presence of the High Court, Hambantota.
Later, after a lengthy case hearing, since the plaintiff proved beyond reasonable doubt that the charges against the four accused were accurate Hambantota High Court Judge Priyantha Liyanage imposed death sentences on all four individuals.
The High Court Judge ordered the Superintendent of Angunukolapelassa Prison to detain the four accused at the Welikada Prison until the death penalty is carried out based on a date and place to be specified by the President of Sri Lanka.
This is of significance since it is the first time in the history of Sri Lanka that four police officers have been sentenced to death at the same time.
The plaintiff was represented by State Counsel Nimanka Jayawickrema on behalf of the Attorney General.