The appeals filed by five accused including former Defence Ministry Monitoring MP Duminda Silva challenging the judgment of the Colombo High Court was yesterday taken up before Supreme Court for further argument.
President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne yesterday concerned his arguments on behalf of an appellant-accused Anura Thushara de Mel.
When the appeal came up before the Supreme Court five-judge-Bench headed by Chief Justice Priyasath Dep, further argument was fixed for May 18.
Five accused including former Defence Ministry Monitoring MP Duminda Silva who were sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court for committing the murder of four persons, including former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra had filed appeal petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the judgment of the Colombo High Court.
Through his appeal, Duminda Silva stated that he was seeking the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to review and set aside their conviction and the death sentence imposed by the High Court on September 8, 2015.
The five accused including former MP Duminda Silva were on September 8, 2015 sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court for committing the murder of four persons, including former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra on October 8, 2011.
However, the verdict was divided two to one with judges Pathmini N.Ranawaka and M.C.B.S. Moreis finding the five accused guilty on 10 charges, including committing and conspiring to commit murder of four people while Justice Shiran Gunaratne, the President of the Colombo High Court Trial-at-Bar found the thirteen accused not guilty of all seventeen charges.
The Supreme Court five-judge-Bench comprised Chief Justice Priyasath Dep, Justice Buwaneka Aluvihare, Justice Prasanna Jayawardena, Justice Nalin Perera and Justice Vijith Malalgoda.
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