SRI LANKA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDERING PREGNANT WOMAN

in Sri Lanka, Panadura Provincial High Court Judge Malanee Gunaratne passed the death sentence on Alankarage Lal Gunawardena, 34, of Ingiriya, for murdering Amarasinghe Arachchige Udaya Kanthi, also 34, a pregnant woman from Ingiriya. She was the daughter of a school principal. On September 11, 1992, Gunawardena allegedly held her under water until she drowned at the Wachchiduwa stream. The accused befriended the pregnant woman, and took her to the water stream. The accused later took her into a thick jungle and had sexual relations with her. Then both went to bathe in the stream. An argument broke out and the accused forced her head under water until she drowned.