Undergraduate convicted

Sandasen Marasinghe

Colombo High Court Judge Kumuduni Wickramasinghe yesterday sentenced an undergraduate of Sri Jayewardenepura University who was convicted for murdering another undergraduate of the same university, to two years rigorous imprisonment and suspended it for five years.

Colombo High Court convicted Chanaka Mahesh Kumara Hewagama of Navinna, Maharagama after he pleaded guilty for committing the murder of Sampath Vimalathissa Bandara at Gangodavila on June 04, 2005.

The Attorney General filed indictment against him for committing the murder of Vimalathissa Bandara and causing injuries to another undergraduate of the same university Buddhika Priyantha Ranasinghe.

The Court ordered the convict to pay a compensation of Rs 450,000 to the parents of the deceased and another compensation of Rs 50,000 to the injured student. The Court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 and another six months RI in default.

According to the statements made to the Police earlier, Hewagama had committed the crime as a result of a long lasting grudge between two student groups of the university.