Sri Lanka sentences top cop to death

A Sri Lankan court yesterday sentenced a top police officer, his son and four other police to death for the abduction and murder of a businessman in 2013, reports AFP from Colombo. The court in Colombo found deputy inspector general Vaas Gunawardena guilty of killing Mohamed Shiyam in return for 10 million rupees ($71,000) from a business rival, making him the highest ranking officer to be convicted of murder. At the time, extrajudicial killings were rife in Sri Lanka, and many such disappearances were never investigated. The senior officer's role was only discovered when CCTV footage showed Shiyam being taken away in a vehicle driven by Gunawardena's son Ravindu, who was among the six people convicted and sentenced to death on Friday. Four officers who worked closely with Gunawardena were also found guilty and sentenced to death for their role in abducting and killing the businessman.

Sri Lanka sentences top cop to death

A Sri Lankan court yesterday sentenced a top police officer, his son and four other police to death for the abduction and murder of a businessman in 2013, reports AFP from Colombo. The court in Colombo found deputy inspector general Vaas Gunawardena guilty of killing Mohamed Shiyam in return for 10 million rupees ($71,000) from a business rival, making him the highest ranking officer to be convicted of murder. At the time, extrajudicial killings were rife in Sri Lanka, and many such disappearances were never investigated. The senior officers role was only discovered when CCTV footage showed Shiyam being taken away in a vehicle driven by Gunawardenas son Ravindu, who was among the six people convicted and sentenced to death on Friday. Four officers who worked closely with Gunawardena were also found guilty and sentenced to death for their role in abducting and killing the businessman.