Two convicted of murder sentenced to death by Balapitiya HC

• The accused, aged 37 and 41, were found guilty of hacking a man to death
• Victim was a trishaw driver from Thalgasgoda area in Ambalangoda

By D.G. Sugathapala 

Two accused who stood indicted with murder were found guilty and sentenced to death by Balapitiya High Court Judge Priyantha Liyanage.Wijeyamuni Darshana Dinesh de Silva (37) and Laththuwahandi Ranga Pradeep de Silva (41) had, on September 04, 2005, hacked to death a resident of the area Porawagamage Manoj Champika Kumara at Maduwa in Balapitiya. 

The first accused was 16 years of age, and the second accused was 20 years old at the time of the incident. After non-summary proceedings in Balapitiya Magistrate’s Court, they had been committed to stand trial in the High Court. Police, giving evidence for the prosecution, told court that the victim was a trishaw driver of the Thalgasgoda area in Ambalangoda and that the accused had hired his trishaw under the pretext of going on a trip and, on the way, hacked him to death. The judge held that the prosecution established the charges against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction. State Counsel Senuri Gunasekara prosecuted, while Sergeant 64472 Manoj gave evidence for the prosecution.