Vidya murder: SC defers appeal hearing for Dec. 13
The Supreme Court yesterday (9) deferred for December 13, the appeal filed by those convicted of the brutal murder of female student Vidya of Punguduthivu, one of the Islets of the Jaffna Peninsula.
The Bench comprised Justices Eva Wanasundera, Nalin Perera and Prasanna S. Jayawardena.
A Trial-at-bar of the Jaffna High Court on September 27, 2017 convicted seven accused including Mahalingam Shashikumar alias Swiss Kumar and sentenced them to death for the murder of Vidya in 2015. The nine suspects, namely Poobalasingham Indrakumar alias Sinnappa, Poobalasingham Jeyakumar alias Ravi, Poobalasingham Navakumar alias Sendil, Mahalingam Shashidaren alias Shashi, Pillainandan Chandrakasan alias Chandra, Shivaderan Kushange alias Periyathamby, Palani Rubasingham Kuganathan alias Nishanthan, Jeyadaran Kokilan alias Kanna and
A Trial-at-bar of the Jaffna High Court on September 27, 2017 convicted seven accused including Mahalingam Shashikumar alias Swiss Kumar and sentenced them to death for the murder of Vidya in 2015.
Mahalingam Shashikumar alias Swiss Kumar were accused of abduction, rape and murder of deceased Sivaloganathan Vidya.
The first and the seventh accused, Poobalasingham Indrakumar alias Sinnappa and Palani Rubasingham Kuganathan alias Nishanthan were released due to the lack of evidence to tie them to the murder.
The Trial-at-bar headed by Vavuniya High Court Judge Balendren Sashi Mahendran included Jaffna High Court Judge Illancheliyan Manickavasagar and Trincomalee High Court Judge Annalingam Premashankar.
The second, third, fifth, sixth and eighth accused were sentenced to 30 years rigorous imprisonment (RI) with a fine of Rs 40,000 each. They were also ordered to pay a compensation of Rupees one million each to the mother of the victim.
The court also ordered to extend their prison term by four months if they failed to pay the fine. These convicts will be forced to serve an extended two year sentence if they fail to pay the compensation ordered.
The fourth and the ninth accused were sentenced to 30-years imprisonment, each with a fine of Rs. 70,000, in default of which they would have to serve another four months. They were also ordered to pay Rupees one million each as compensation to Vidya’s parents and if they default on their commitments they would be required to serve another two years.