One years RI for man who killed b.i.l.

By L.B.Senaratne

A fifty year old businessman of Kandy was sentenced to a term of one year’s rigorous imprisonment, suspended for five years, fined Rs. 2000 and ordered to pay compensation of Rs. 300,000 to the victim's wife.

High Court Judge D.S.C. Lekamwasam imposed the sentence on J.B.A.Jayantha alias Annasi Raja who pleaded guilty to the lesser offence of culpable homicide, exceeding the right of private defence when he murdered his brother-in-law Ajith Biyanwila aged 35.

Jayantha had been living in his own house with his wife and five children, when his brother-in-law had come into his house and attacked him with a kitul club. Jayantha had attacked the victim with a club in his own house.

Senior Counsel Wijaya Wickramaratne told Court that though the right of private defence was not exceeded, the accused was willing to settle with the victim’s family in consequence of his rashness. He also told Court that the accused had been helping the victim’s family before and after the incident. He said he was prepared to pay Rs. 300,000 in open court.

The compensation was then paid in open court. State Counsel Vasantha Perera appeared for the prosecution.