Death sentence for accused

Kapila Somaratne Panadura group correspondent

Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Malanee Gunaratne passed the death sentence on K. Maheslal Kumara, first accused in the Kahatuduwa Magammana murder case on last Wednesday.

Second accused K. Nishantha Perera was acquitted.

The judge said the case against the first accused had been proved beyond reasonable doubt and the case against the second accused had not been proved. The first accused was found guilty of murder and death sentence was imposed on him.

In this case both accused were indicted by the Attorney General with committing the murder of Leo Ansalyne Wijeratne of Magammana by throwing a petrol bomb on him and setting fire to the house of L. Patricia Wijeratne and destroying it on April 11, 2003. State counsel Yohan Liyanage made submissions on behalf of the Attorney General.