Four jailed for registering baby elephant with false documents

by A. J. A. Abeynayake

The Colombo High Court on Thursday sentenced the former Deputy Director, a clerk and another person of the Department of Wildlife Conservation to five years RI each after finding them guilty of misleading the Director General of Wildlife Conservation Department and registering an elephant calf.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 70,000 on each of the defendants, former Deputy Director of Wildlife Conservation Department Upali Padmasiri, its clerk Priyanka Sanjeevani and Chandraratne Yatawara.Pronouncing the judgment, High Court Judge Damith Thotawatta said that the defendants had been working as government employees and would be given the sentences considering their official status.

The Attorney General had filed this case under the charges of misguiding the Director General of the Department by creating false documents and registering a baby elephant named “Sakura” in violation of the provisions of the Wildlife and Flora Ordinance between November 6, 2008 and May 18, 2015.

The Colombo High Court had previously acquitted Thilina Gamage, who was named as the fourth defendant in this case, who was accused of possessing a baby elephant.