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CA overturns HC’s life sentences against four police officers
The Court of Appeal on Wednesday (10) overturned life sentences previously handed down to four police officers by the Anuradhapura High Court in connection with the killing of eight individuals in Bharathipuram, Trincomalee, allegedly suspected to be LTTE members.
The officers were acquitted and released following a ruling delivered by a two-judge bench comprising Justices Shashi Mahendran and Amal Ranaraja, after examining appeals filed by the four appellants challenging their conviction on February 26, 2024.
The appellants Konara Mudiyanselage Nihal Premasiri Konara (2nd accused), Rajapaksha Mudiyanselage Ranaraja Bandara (4th accused), Sogama Liyanage Somaratna (5th accused), and Rate Ralalage Senarath Bandara Madawala (8th accused)—were acquitted on the grounds of insufficient evidence to substantiate the High Court’s conclusions.
The Anuradhapura High Court had previously found the officers guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment, concluding that they had participated in an unlawful assembly with the intent to commit murder. These conclusions were based on the deaths of civilians taken from homes near the Bharathipuram checkpoint on or around February 1, 1998.
Originally, 12 individuals, including these four officers, were indicted before the Trincomalee High Court under 37 charges, including participation in an unlawful assembly with intent to commit murder, under Section 2 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Section 138 of the Penal Code. The case was later transferred to the Anuradhapura High Court for trial.
Following the trial, five of the accused—including the four appellants—were convicted, while the first accused had absconded before sentencing.
Although the High Court concluded that they were part of an unlawful assembly with a common intent near the Bharathipuram checkpoint, the Court of Appeal found that there was insufficient evidence to support that conclusion.
Justice Amal Ranaraja concurred with the judgment authored by Justice Shashi Mahendran, who noted that the High Court’s findings could not be substantiated to the standard required in criminal law.
The appellants were represented by a legal team including President’s Counsel Priyantha Nawana and Attorney-at-Law Ravihansa Wijesinghe (for the 5th accused); Senior Counsel Niranjan Jayasinha, Randunu Heellage, and Imashi Senarath (for the 2nd and 8th accused); and President’s Counsel Shavendra Fernando, Tiwanka Atigala, Nipun Samaratunga, and Natasha Wijesekara (for the 4th accused)
By A.J.A. Abeynayake
A sum of LKR. 9,687,462, raised from day’s salary officers of the Police Department, has been donated to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, established to support the recovery of communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah and to assist in rebuilding the country following the disaster.
To date, officers of the Police Department have contributed over LKR. 74 million to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund through three such contributions of one day’s salary.
The donation was presented on Wednesday (22) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat by the Personal Assistant to the Inspector General of Police, Senior Superintendent of Police C. C. Bamunuarachchi, to the Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Chief Inspector Udaya Kumara, Officer-in-Charge of the Police Secretariat, was also present on the occasion.
[Presidents Media Division]
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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and Eastern provinces and in Monaragala district during the day time
Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 26 April 2026, valid for 27 April 2026.
The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and Eastern provinces and in Monaragala district during the day time.
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Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
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Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to investigate the illegal diversion of Treasury funds, amounting to US$2.5 million to a third-party account.
Premadasa has said both the chairmanship and a majority of the Committee’s membership should be held by the Opposition to ensure impartiality.
The government has not only failed to account for the loss of US$2.5 million but also deliberately withheld information from Parliament, the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) and the public, Premadasa has told the media, accusing the ruling party of seeking to deflect responsibility by initiating an internal departmental inquiry, which he describes as a biased process designed to justify predetermined conclusions.
The Opposition Leader has said only a transparent and independent probe could establish the facts, adding that such an investigation could be effectively carried out through a Parliamentary Select Committee led by the Opposition.
He has also warned that the alleged failure to inform Parliament about the missing funds amounted to a serious breach of accountability.
Police officers donate LKR 9,687,462 from day’s salary to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund
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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central, North-western, Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and Eastern provinces and in Monaragala district during the day time
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