Former Parliamentarian Duminda Silva and four others were sentenced to death today by the Colombo High Court after being found guilty in the murder of former MP and Presidential Advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and three others in 2011.
Former MP Premachandra, was killed on October 8, 2011 in a clash between two groups at Walpola, Mulleriyawa.Former MP Duminda Silva too was critically injured in the incident. Aside from Mr. Premachandra, the others who were killed were identified as his body guards.
In a divided judgement delivered by a special three-judge bench, the accused were found guilty of shooting dead four individuals, including Mr. Premachandra on the evening of October 8, 2011 in Kolonnawa.
The High Court trial at bar, in a 2-1 majority decision, convicted these five over six charges including conspiring to murder.
High Court judges Padmini N Ranawake and MCBS Moraes agreed to the decision while judge Shiran Gunaratne dissented, determining that all five were innocent of the charges.
The High Court issued the death sentence on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, 10th and 11th accused.
However the fifth suspect was not in court when the verdict was issued as he was reported missing.
Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, a former Presidential advisor, and his bodyguards were murdered in October 2011 ahead of elections held at the time.
Duminda Silva was also injured in the incident and he sought treatment overseas but he was accused of being involved in the killing.
The judgment over case filed against 13 accused including former UPFA Parliamentarian Duminda Silva for committing the murder of four persons including former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was delivered today.
The Attorney General had filed charges against former MP Duminda Silva and 12 suspects in this case which has been before Court for over 1½ years.
The Colombo High Court began trial on September 12, 2015 on a day-to-day basis and concluded both prosecution and defence hearing into the matter by July. The special Trial-at-Bar comprised three High Court Judges, Shiran Gunaratne, Pathmini N. Ranawaka and C. B. S. Moreis. The Attorney General had called 42 witnesses and presented in Courts 126 documents including the Government Analyst’s reports and JMO reports.
Mr. Premachandra’s daughter Hirunika is now a Colombo District MP and was present today in court when the verdict was announced.
(Compiled from Media Reports)