The Avissawella Magistrate today sentenced popular film star and UPFA Western Provincial Council candidate Roger Seneviratne to two years rigorous imprisonment suspended for five years after he was found guilty of causing grievous injuries by fracturing the leg of the husband of his paramour by assaulting him with an iron rod in 2002.

 

Magistrate Devika Abeyratne also ordered Mr. Seneviratne to pay a compensation of Rs. 200,000 to the victim Mihira Wickremarachchi, and if the compensation was not paid an additional rigorous imprisonment of two years was also ordered. The actor was also ordered to pay a fine of Rs. 3500 and ordered an additional imprisonment of four months if the fine was not paid.
 

In 2006, the Kaduwela magistrate sentenced the suspect to one year’s rigorous imprisonment after he was found guilty of causing grievous injuries by fracturing the leg of Mr. Wickremarachchi.
 

In 2002, the Talangama Police filed plaint against Joseph Roger Seneviratne that on or about 6 January 2002, he caused grievous injuries to Jayantha Mihira Wickremarachchi at Kalalgoda Road in Pannipitiya by assaulting him with a club. The charge further stated that the leg of Mihira Wickremarchchi was fractured in three places due to the assault with an iron bar and thereby the accused had committed an offense under Section 317 of the Penal Code.
 

At the trial, it was revealed that the accused who went to act in a tele drama filmed in the house of the complainant, had befriended his wife. Later she had left Mihira Wickremarachchi and went to live together with the actor in another house at Kalalgoda Road and when Mihira had gone to that house the assault had taken place. The magistrate had come to a conclusion that the charges against the accused had been proved beyond reasonable doubt by the Talangama Police and the prosecuting counsel Nalin Ladduwahetti, and the punishment was imposed.
 

Later, the accused filed a petition at the Court of Appeal against the Kaduwela Magistrate Court judgment and the Court of Appeal released the accused.

Then again, the lawyers of the victim’s party filed a petition against the Court of Appeal decision at the Supreme Court, which ordered to quash the Court of Appeal decision and re-open the case again.
 

Accordingly the Avissawella Magistrate Court took up the case for hearing. (Manopriya Gunasekera)