Former Parliamentarian Duminda Silva, who was convicted in the Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra murder case and sentenced to death by the Supreme Court, was released on Poson Poya day today on a special presidential pardon. Sources said he has left the welikada prisons a short while ago.
Lawyers for Duminda Silva’s party said that other legal matters, including the investigation into Covid, have been completed and that he will be with us shortly.
Five members including Duminda Silva, were sentenced to death on September 08, 2016, for the shooting death of four people, including former parliamentarian Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, on the day of October 8, 2011, Western Provincial Council election.
The majority of the judges said that the evidence that Duminda Silva and his group were responsible for the murder had been established by evidence and that the death penalty would be imposed accordingly.
Subsequently, Duminda Silva and four others filed a petition in the Court of Appeal seeking the revocation of the death sentence and his acquittal.
The Supreme Court decided to hear the appeals on November 27, 2017, and the hearing of the petitions commenced on March 29, 2018, before a five-judge panel.
The Court of Appeal, after considering the petition, issued its order on Thursday, October 11, 2018, affirming the death sentence.
The tribunal, headed by then Chief Justice Priyasad Dep, unanimously upheld the verdict.
Former Chief Justice Priyasad Def retired from office on Friday, October 12, 2018, the day after the verdict was announced.
Duminda Silva was under a special presidential pardon today.
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