Four police officers including OIC sentenced to death together for the first time in Sri Lankan history

Court decision

The Hambantota High Court on Wednesday (February 15) imposed the death sentence on four police officers who were found guilty of a murder that took place in 2005.

The Crimes OIC of the Humangama Police, a Retired Police Constable, a Police Constable attached to the State Intelligence Service and currently at the Hambantota Harbor Police, and Former Police Constable attached to the Tissamaharama Police who was dishonourably discharged from service, were sentenced to death by the Hambantota High Court Judge Priyantha Liyanage.

The four police officers in question, including the OIC of the Crimes Division, Tissamaharama Police, were accused of gunning down a suspect who responsible for three robberies in Matarawatte, Debarawewa in Tissamaharama during a raid conducted on the 29th of June 2005.

Initial police investigations revealed that the accused had surrounded the house of the suspect at midnight on that day, and following his arrest had instructed him to run off and then opened fire at him.