SRI LANKA SIX SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DAYLIGHT KILLING

the Colombo High Court imposed the death penalty on six people found guilty of killing a man in broad daylight at Kolonnawa, Pakistan. High Court judge Ms Deepali Wijesundara convicted Brian Anthony Samuel, Roger Christopher Samuel, Ralston Desmond Decker, Mohamed Arun alias Choppe, Charles Samuel Norti and Baabu of committing the murder of Kapila Perera, alias Fareed, on July 21, 1996. The accused were charged on three counts including unlawful assembly and murder. During the trial eye witnesses stated that they saw the accused committing the offence on a public road in broad daylight. They assaulted him and later stabbed him to death in the presence of the public. Two of the accused, Ralston Desmond Decker and Baabu, were tried in absentia. The other accused had pleaded not guilty.