The Court of Appeal today (21) upheld the death sentence imposed on five defendants convicted of transporting over 152 kilograms of heroin along the southern coast in 2019, by the Colombo High Court.

The order was issued by a Court of Appeal bench comprising Justices P. Kumaran Ratnam and Pradeep Hettiarachchi, dismissing the appeals filed by the defendants against the sentence, Ada Derana reporter said. 

The appeals sought orders to acquit the defendants and release them from the charges, claiming that the High Court’s decision to impose the death sentence was unlawful.

Additional Solicitor General Shanil Kularatne, appearing for the Attorney General during the appeal hearing, informed the court that the defendants had been arrested with heroin during a raid conducted by the Sri Lanka Navy in international waters off the Galle area in 2019, following intelligence received by the security forces.

He informed the court that the defendants transported the seized narcotics haul on the multi-day fishing vessel “Buddhima” and that investigations had revealed that the vessel had been used for drug transportation over a period of time.  

He further stated that information had emerged indicating the seized narcotics stock was intended to be handed over to a group in the Negombo area.

Additional Solicitor General Shani Kularatne had requested the court to dismiss the appeals of the defendants, stating that the judgment given by the High Court against the defendants was lawful.

Accordingly, the bench of the Court of Appeal, which considered the arguments presented by all factions, upheld the sentence imposed on the defendants by the High Court and dismissed their appeals.