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Kandy Judge sentences absconding sexual offender to 17 years RI
Kandy High Court Judge Ms. Meneke Wijesundera sentenced H.Asanaka Wickramasinghe de Silva alias Hakim Asanka Wickramasinghe de Silva who stood accused for removing a minor girl -aged 13- from the custody of her lawful guardian and committing a sexual offence on her eleven years ago.
The accused who is absconding was sentenced to seventeen-years rigorous imprisonment in absentia. The High Court Judge also imposed additional fines on the accused.
The offence took place on or around 30 September 2009 in the Galagedera police area and the police had produced the victim before a Judicial Medical Officer.
According to police, the accused H.Asanaka Wickramasinghe de Silva alias Hakim Asanka Wickramasinghe de Silva was not present in Court when Judgement was delivered.
During the course of the trial, the accused was bailed out by his mother on paying Rs. 50,000.
Court earlier ordered the forfeiture of the bail bond as the accused had not appeared in Court and issued an arrest warrant on the accused.
Sentencing the accused, the High Court Judge imposed a term of 17 years rigorous imprisonment, a fine of Rs. 10,000 on each count of the two charges and ordered the accused to pay the victim a sum of rupees one-hundred-thousand.
In the event of non payment of the fines and compensation, the Judge ordered a further three months imprisonment on each of the charges.
The High Court Judge ordered when the accused was arrested, the sentence be imposed accordingly.
Senior State Counsel Charaka Dharmasiri prosecuted.