The Supreme Courts confirms death sentences of Vass Gunawardena and others.

The Supreme Court today confirmed the death sentences imposed on former DIG Vass Gunawardena, his son Ravindu Gunawardena, and four others, who were found guilty of abducting and murdering businessman Mohammed Siyam in 2013.

The Supreme Court delivered this verdict while dismissing the appeal petitions filed by Vass Gunawardena and the other defendants seeking their acquittal.

Accordingly, the verdict, delivered after a prolonged trial, upholds the death sentences of the accused, which also include a Sub-Inspector and three Police Constables.

Former Prisons Commissioner Emil Lamahewa acquitted from prison riot case

The Supreme Court also ordered to acquit former Prisons Commissioner Emil Ranjan Lamahewa, who was convicted over the killing of prisoners during the 2012 Welikada Prison riot and had been sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar.

The decision was delivered by a panel of five judges of the Supreme Court after accepting an appeal filed on behalf of Lamahewa against the sentence.