Trader sentenced to death for possessing heroin

Fish Trader sentenced to death for heroin possession, 22 years after arrest

by Zulfick Farzan 24-09-2020 | 3:26 PM

Colombo (News 1st); A Fish Trader who was found guilty of possessing and trafficking of heroin, was sentenced to death by Colombo High Court Judge Pradeep Hettiarachchi on Thursday (24).

He was found guilty of two indictments for possession and trafficking of 106 grams of heroin.

The defendant was arrested on the 04th of December 1998 by the Police Narcotic Bureau at the Pettah Fish Market Complex.

A case was filed by the Attorney General with the Colombo High Court and following a lengthy trial, the defendant was sentenced to life in prison on the 01st of July 2012.

Thereafter, the defendant filed an appeal against the sentence and the Court of Appeal ordered the Colombo High Court for a re-trial.

Following a re-trial, the defendant was sentenced to death on Thursday, 24th September 2020.