The Colombo High Court has sentenced a married couple and the wife’s younger brother to death after finding them guilty of murdering a man with sharp weapons following an argument in the Meethotamulla area of Wellampitiya.

The verdict was delivered by Colombo High Court Judge Rashmi Singappuli.

The case was filed over the killing of 35-year-old Ruchira Lakmal Perera on 11 December 2017 at C.G.R. Watta in Meethotamulla, Wellampitiya.

According to prosecution evidence, the deceased had lived near the residence of the accused and was also a relative of the third accused.

Several days before the killing, the deceased had been arrested by police over an alleged assault on the third accused. The court heard that the killing took place while he was returning home after being released on bail.

According to prosecution evidence, an argument between the deceased and the accused escalated between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on the day of the incident, after which the first accused arrived at the scene carrying two machetes.

He had placed one machete on the ground and attacked the deceased with the other, while the second accused had picked up the machete left on the ground and joined in the attack, the court was told.

Prosecution evidence further revealed that when the third accused saw that the victim, who had fallen to the ground, was still alive, she had encouraged her husband and brother to kill him.

The accused subsequently fled the scene. Police officers responding to a telephone call found that the victim had already died by the time they arrived.

According to the post-mortem examination, the victim had sustained 21 severe cut injuries, while death had resulted from multiple injuries to the head and neck.

Eyewitness testimony, CCTV footage and medical reports were produced before court during the trial.

The court rejected the defence arguments that the accused had acted in self-defence and under provocation.

The first and second accused made statements from the dock, while the third accused remained silent.

After considering the evidence presented during the trial, the High Court Judge ruled that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the three accused had committed the murder with a common intention.

Accordingly, all three accused were found guilty of murder under Section 296 read with Section 32 of the Penal Code and sentenced to death.