Death row inmate seeks permission to attend Pradeshiya Sabha session

Death row inmate and former Kahawatta Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Vajira Darshana de Silva has made a formal request to attend a Pradeshiya Sabha Session on October 8.

Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya writing to the Secretary of Ministry of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation and Resettlement said that De Silva had made a request to be allowed to attend the session on Thursday.

Earlier this year, De Silva was sentenced to death and 47 years in prison on July 31 by the Ratnapura High Court along with parliamentarian Premalal Jayasekara who recently took oaths as the first convicted murderer to serve as a member of parliament in Sri Lanka.  

Three accused including Jayasekara, De Silva and former Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council member Nilantha Jayakoday were charged for opening fire at a political stage during the 2015 presidential election period, killing one person and wounding two others.

The letter dated October 5, 2020 detailed that the inmate who is currently at the Welikada Prison after appealing the death sentence, had sought permission to attend the session through his lawyer.

Accordingly, Commissioner General Upuldeniya sought advice from the Ministry, stating that prison laws do not stipulate the course of action to be taken in such an instance. (Kalani Kumarasinghe)