A landmark death sentence reignites Sri Lanka’s debate on judicial delays as another grieving family pleads for long-overdue accountability in an unresolved rape and murder case.
The Balapitiya High Court has sentenced two men to death for a fatal shooting that occurred more than a decade ago, delivering a ruling that has once again placed Sri Lanka’s criminal justice system under national scrutiny. The verdict has revived debate over delayed justice, long-running court proceedings, and the broader effectiveness of law enforcement and judicial accountability in Sri Lanka.
Presiding Judge Ruchira Weliwatte handed down the sentence on February 17 after an extensive trial process. The court determined that the accused were responsible for the killing of a resident of Hangarawatte, Matiwala, on or about December 24, 2014. The judgment followed detailed hearings and was formally outlined in a forty-six-page decision issued under Sri Lanka’s Penal Code. State Counsel Senuri Gunathilaka led the prosecution, presenting evidence that ultimately secured convictions against the defendants.
Both convicted men, residents of the same locality within the Meetiyagoda police division, were found guilty of carrying out the shooting that resulted in the victim’s death. The ruling brings closure to a case that had remained before the courts for twelve years, highlighting the slow pace of criminal litigation while underscoring the judiciary’s authority to impose capital punishment after due process.
At the same time, a separate and deeply troubling case continues to cast a shadow over the national conversation on justice. Relatives of a teenage girl who was raped and murdered in 2016 have written to the President, expressing anguish that justice has not yet been served. According to the family, suspects have still not been arrested, and repeated court delays have prolonged their suffering for nearly a decade.
The 16-year-old schoolgirl was killed while alone at her home in the Ukulankulama area of Bandarikulam in Vavuniya. In their letter, her relatives state that the case remains pending, with adjournments preventing resolution and denying the family closure.
Together, these two cases reflect the contrasting realities within Sri Lanka’s justice system. While the Balapitiya verdict demonstrates judicial resolve and the possibility of accountability, unresolved cases such as the Vavuniya killing reveal ongoing systemic challenges in criminal investigations and timely justice delivery.
