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Appeal Court upholds death sentence for Mel Gunasekara killer
The Court of Appeal has upheld the death sentence imposed by the Colombo High Court on a painter convicted of murdering journalist Mel Gunasekara at hers residence in Battaramulla in 2014.
The order was given by a bench of Justices of the Court of Appeal comprising Sampath Abeykoon and P. Kumaran Ratnam.
The Attorney General filed indictments against Arulananda Anthony Ramson George in the Colombo High Court on charges of trespassing, breaking and entering, robbing and stabbing journalist Mel Gunasekara to death at her residence in Subhuthipura, Battaramulla on February 2, 2014.
After a lengthy trial, on July 5, 2017, the Colombo High Court convicted the accused and sentenced him to death for murder and imprisonment for trespassing and robbery.
The convict later appealed to the Court of Appeal, seeking his acquittal from the sentence.
The lawyer who appeared for the accused at the hearing had stated before the Court of Appeal that the evidence presented by the prosecution against the accused was contradictory.
The lawyer also argued that the judge had not taken into consideration the facts presented by the defendants at the trial.
Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, appearing for the Attorney General, stated before the Court of Appeal that the judgment of the Colombo High Court against the accused was lawful.
He pointed out that the prosecution was able to prove before the High Court the allegations leveled against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Deputy Solicitor General pointed out to the court that the video evidence of the accused entering the house of the deceased had been confirmed and that the DNA tests had proved that the accused had the victim’s blood on his clothes.
Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris also pointed out that the police had found the victim’s mobile phone in the accused’s possession at the time of his arrest.
Deputy Solicitor General requested the Court of Appeal to dismiss the appeal filed by the accused as the charges against him had been proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
After considering the facts presented, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Colombo High Court Judge had followed due process in pronouncing the sentence against the accused and ordered that the appeal of the accused be dismissed.
Mel Gunasekara (40), senior journalist was found dead with cut injuries at her home on 2 February, 2014, while her other family members were attending a weekly mass at a nearby church. Police arrested Anthony George, who had been previously hired by Gunasekara family to paint their house, over the killing. Gunasekara was stabbed to death when she attempted to resist the convict who broke into her house.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
