‘Life’ for heroin offence

Sandasen Marasinghe

COLOMBO: Colombo High Court Judge W.A.T. Ratnayake yesterday sentenced a suspect in a heroin case to life imprisonment.

The High Court convicted Mapatunage Don Maithreepala alias Rajah for keeping 8.2 grams of heroin in his possession on July 3, 2001. He had been taken into custody by a group of Police Narcotics Bureau men led by IP Dinesh Tennakoon at a bus halt in Badullawatta on his way towards Kelaniya Bridge.

He had been taken into custody red handed with 45 grams in a polythene parcel under his armpit.

Later on it was revealed that the powder in the polythene parcel contained 8.2 grams of pure heroin.

State Counsel Shanil Kularatne appeared for the Attorney General. Attorney L. Lokugalappati appeared for the defence.