posted March 03, 2005 08:05 PM            

By Priyalal Sirisena
The Island
Publication Date : 2005-03-03

Colombo High Court Judge Upali Abeyratne Wednesday imposed death penalty on Minister Milroy Fernando’s wife Monica Fernando and three other accused who were convicted for murder. They were charged with kidnapping and murder of the minister’s mistress Charlotte Theresa Fernando and her servant Susahewage Seelawathie in Katuneriya on January 03 1992.

The first accused Mary Juliet Monica Fernando had allegedly conspired to the murder of the two deceased women while the other three accused Poruthotage Ajith Priyankara, Thambihetti Mudalige Don Nevil Rohana and Udadewa Arachchige Sugath Krishantha had murdered them following the plan. The case against the four accused was first taken up before Chilaw High Court which convicted all the accused. When the accused appealed to the Court of Appeal, it was ordered for a retrial before Colombo High Court.

In his final address, the Judge emphasised the importance of the evidence given by the minister’s driver Sunil Shantha Seneviratne who had witnessed the murder since the beginning.

The trial before Colombo High Court started on January 27 2005 and the hearing continued for twenty-two days. The Attorney General's Department called sixteen witnesses to prove the charges against the four accused. After evidence, the accused made a dock statement saying that they were not guilty of any of the charges. The judge, Abeyratne advised the jury of seven members directing them in arriving at a decision. The Jury, after a discussion of about five hours, convicted all four accused of all the charges with a divided decision. Six members of the jury convicted the accused while one member dissented.

After the conviction, the judge asked the accused whether they had to make any remarks. All the accused pronounced that they were innocent and not guilty. The judge also ordered sixty-year rigorous imprisonment together with a fine of thirty thousand rupees on each accused.

http://www.asianewsnet.net/level3_template1.php?l3sec=15&news_id=36775

posted March 03, 2005 08:59 PM            

"All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill."

- Dhammapada

posted March 03, 2005 10:27 PM            

How come a member of world's largest children army condemn execution?

posted March 04, 2005 12:37 PM            

Politicians will even work in a whorehouse if they get votes.

State and Terrorism (LTTE) too must be separate.

posted March 04, 2005 04:00 PM            

US is only 225 yrs old. Compare with SL. You cannot fully seperate Buddhism from politics the way (Christianity) is seperated from politics as in the West. What I mean by seperation is that a special place must always be given to Buddhism. Special meaning the preservation of dagobas and similar relics, the overseeing of the Sangha, and the promotion of Sanskrit/Pali. Yes, politics can accomplish this, believe it or not. Look at Japan; it is as Westernised as any other nation, but a special respect is given to Japanese customs and traditions. SL should follow the same path. "Freedom" in the West has actually degenerated into anti-culture & cross-cultures - due to extreme liberalism. If SL chooses to "modernize" itself according to Western economic and political models, it should be careful not to follow certain tempting pathways, or else high crime, disease (obesity), and such will gradually find their way in.

I have already suggested constructive ways Buddhist principles can be used to combat social ills. See this thread:

http://www.infolanka.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000619.html