Two police constables sentenced to death

Shooting, killing and arson at Ampara in 1997

Two police constables who were indicted before the Ampara High Court over charges of shooting and killing five minority Nationals, who were residents of Number 4 Colony in the Ampara Central Camp area, were found guilty of only two killings, and accordingly, they were sentenced to death on Wednesday by the North Western Civil Appellate Court Judge and former High Court Judge of Ampara division Sumudu Premachandra.

The PCS sentenced were identified as R.P. Gamini Kumarasinghe who was serving at the Ampara Central Camp police check point and J.M. Nimal Karunarathne. Another PC named A.W. Wasantha Kumara who was also indicted over the same charge had died and his name had been deleted from the list of accused.

On or around September 23, 1997 while serving at the Ampara Central Camp police check point, that came under the jurisdiction of the Ampara High Court, the accused had opened fire at Ponniah Sadhasivam, Ganapathipillai Kumaraswamy, Velupillai Pakyarajah, Vellakutti Sunderalingam and Kumaraswamy Ranganayagam alias Selliah Ranganayagam, all residents of number 4 Colony, using T 56 fire arms and setting fire to about 400 houses belonging to them. The Attorney General had issued 43 indictments separately against the former PCS before the Amparahc.

The prosecution was led by Deputy Solicitor General P. Kumaraswamy, assisted by state counsels Attorneys Krishan Goonethillake and Anjelo Vandergeoff while the accused were represented by attorney Saman Kumara.