Sri Lankan Consulate General in Jeddah to assist death row convicts
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been informed by the Sri Lankan
Consulate General in Jeddah that three Sri Lankans had been sentenced to
death and three others sentenced to jail terms and lashing, by a Jeddah
Court on Sunday upon being convicted for the crimes of robbery, sowing
dissension and threatening public order and peace.
In this case, K.A.P. Gayan Uditha Nanayakkara, Thushara Dinesh Perera
alias Isaac Christy Vedamanikkam and W.M. Nilantha Bandara Tennakoon
were sentenced to death and P.R.M. Ranjith Wasantha Kumara, Noora
Mohamed and Rajiya Abdul Samad sentenced to 10 years, 4 years and 2
years imprisonment respectively as well as lashing, after being found
guilty to robbery and murder of a Yemeni national, Omar Yeslam in May
2007.
It may be noted that five Indian nationals who had also been involved
in the crime were sentenced by the Court to varying terms of
imprisonment and lashing.
The Sri Lankan Consulate General in Jeddah has been providing
consular assistance to the above Sri Lankans from the time of their
arrest through their Court trial, and would facilitate the appeals
against the death sentences on the three Sri Lankans. The three Sri
Lankans who have been sentenced to jail terms and lashing have accepted
the verdicts against them, and do not intend to appeal.
According to the Saudi Arabian regulations, the appeals against the
verdicts have to be filed before the Court, within one month of the
written judgment being delivered, which is expected shortly.
The Foreign Ministry has directed the Consulate General in Jeddah to
closely follow all developments in this case and continue to provide
consular assistance to the Sri Lankan nationals, as well as facilitate
the filing of the appeals.
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