Colombo High Court passes death sentence on murder convict

Colombo High Court yesterday sentenced a man to death for the gruesome murder of his paramour in 2015. The victim’s body was found stuffed inside a suitcase abandoned at the Bastian Mawatha Bus Station. High Court Judge Aditya Patabendige delivered the verdict, convicting the accused, Patrick Krishnaraja, of the murder of Dharmaraja Karthika, on 29 July 2015, in a lodge at Sea Street, Colombo 11.

The Attorney General had filed multiple charges against Krishnaraja, including murder and concealing a corpse. After a prolonged trial, the court ruled that the prosecution had established the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. While Krishnaraja continued to plead his innocence and addressed the court before sentencing, Judge Patabendige stated that the evidence presented during the trial was overwhelming and conclusive.



By AJA Abynayake.