The Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence handed down to former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Vass Gunawardena and four others, convicted for the abduction and murder of businessman Mohammed Siyam in 2013.

The defendants, including Vass Gunawardena and his son, Ravindu Gunawardena, were presented at the Colombo High Court today, where Judge Aditya Patabendige announced that their appeals had been rejected, affirming the death penalty imposed by a three-member High Court bench.

The defence attorney raised concerns about the lack of a specified date for enforcing the sentence, stating that this detail was crucial if the defendants were to seek a presidential pardon. Judge Patabendige clarified that the decision on the implementation date rests with the Supreme Court and is beyond his jurisdiction.