Negombo Hospital murder case CA affirms death sentence for the Doctor

• The appeal filed by Indika Sudarshana - the doctor who  was convicted, was dismissed

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda  

The Court of Appeal has affirmed the death sentence imposed by Negombo High Court against a doctor who was found guilty to the charges of raping a woman and pushing her off the sixth floor of the Negombo General Hospital in 2007.  

While dismissing the appeal filed by Indika Sudarshana - the doctor who was convicted of murdering Chamila Dissanayake, a resident of Moneragala, the Court of Appeal held that the prosecution had adduced strong and incriminating circumstantial evidence against the appellant. Court of Appeal two-judge-bench comprising Justices P. Kumararatnam and Sampath Abayakoon observed that the High Court Judge had rightly convicted the appellant for the charge of rape and murder.   

It transpired that the victim Chamila Dissanayake had visited the Negombo Hospital on the advice of a private doctor for the treatment of a cyst in one of her breasts. She had been operated and had visited the hospital on a clinic day for further consultations and it was on that day that she met with her death at the hands of the hospital doctor.  

Medical evidence revealed that the deceased was raped, strangled and let down from the building when she was unconscious.  

The accused was directly indicted in the High Court of Negombo under Sections 364(1) and 296 of the Penal Code for committing Rape and Murder respectively against Chamila Dissanayake on or about the 12th of November 2007.  

• Medical evidence revealed that the deceased was raped, strangled and let down from the building when she was unconscious