Police in Matale are looking for a man who is believed to have sold dog meat, passing it off as venison, to unsuspecting customers over a period of three years. The suspect is a resident of a village in Naula, Matale. The man had fled from his house when police, acting on a tip-off that he was trading in venison, arrived in the area.
On inspecting the premises, the police found not the remains of slaughtered deer but dozens of dog carcasses buried in the compound and in a shrub jungle nearby. According to the police, the man’s clients included leading hotels, holidaymakers, professionals such as lawyers, doctors and teachers, and members of the security forces. He is said to have sold the meat for Rs. 350 a kilo.
The Naula Police are investigating.
Death sentence on
husband and wife reversed by
Appeal Court
Only husband to serve 10 years RI
The Court of Appeal reversed the judgement of the High Court of Panadura in a murder case where two suspects were convicted and sentenced to death.
The two suspects Hingurage Milton Jayaweera and Rupasinghe Arachchige Asanthi Lalani Renuka - husband and wife - were accused of commmiting the murder of Seela Hingurage, the sister of Milton Jayaweera, in May 2007. They were accused of killing the woman and burying her in a tea estate which was owned by Renuka.
The jury had found the husband and wife guilty and the Panadura High Court magistrate had sentenced the two accused to death. Appearing for the two accused, Attorney-at-law Dr. Ranjith Fernando in his submission said that there was no evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the wife had a hand in the killing and that her husband had committed the crime under sudden provocation.
The Court of Appeal Bench comprising Justices Ranjith Silva and H.N.J. Perera was of the view that there was no evidence against the wife and that the circumstantial evidence was only against her husband. Renuka was acquitted of all charges and her husband Milton was sentenced to 10 years RI with a fine of Rs. 1000 and an additional 3 months imprisonment if the fine was not paid. The sentence of 10 years RI was back-dated to take effect from September 30, 2008. |
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