Accused in Maheswaran killing sentenced to death

Kumudu HETTIARACHCHI

The accused in former Parliamentarian T Maheswaran’s murder was sentenced to death by Colombo High Court judge Sunil Rajapaksa yesterday.

In this case, the Attorney General indicted John Pauline Wellington on two counts of having caused the death of Maheswaran and Chandrakumar Mahindan on January 1, 2008 by shooting them while they were coming out of the Kotahena Sivam Kovil after attending the morning pooja.

High court judge Sunil Rajapaksa who exonerated the accused of the charges of killing Chandrakumar Mahindan found the accused guilty of the charge of committing the murder of T Maheswaran and passed the death sentence on him.

The judge in his order said the accused John Pauline Wellington should be hanged to death within the four walls of the Welikade Prison on a date ordered by the President.

The High Court judge in his order which ran into 150 pages said the evidence led in court and the DNA investigation reports proved beyond doubt that the accused had committed the murder of T Maheswaran by shooting him with a pistol. Senior State Attorney Thushara Kumarage prosecuted.