Sri Lankan Consulate General in Jeddah to extend consular assistance to death row convicts

(October 13, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been informed by the Sri Lankan Consulate General in Jeddah that three Sri Lankans had been sentenced to death and three others sentenced to jail terms and lashing, by a Jeddah Court yesterday (12 October 2008), upon being convicted for the crimes of robbery, sowing dissension on earth and threatening public order and peace.

In this case, Mr. K.A.P. Gayan Uditha Nanayakkara, Mr. Thushara Dinesh Perera alias Isaac Christy Vedamanikkam and Mr. W.M. Nilantha Bandara Tennakoon were sentenced to death and Mr. P.R.M. Ranjith Wasantha Kumara, Ms. Noora Mohamed and Ms. Rajiya Abdul Samad sentenced to 10 years, 4 years and 2 years imprisonment respectively as well as lashing, after being found guilty for the robbery and murder of a Yemeni national, Mr. Omar Yeslam in May 2007.

It may be noted that five Indian nationals who had also been involved in the crime were sentenced by the Court to varying terms of imprisonment and lashing.

The Sri Lankan Consulate General in Jeddah has been providing consular assistance to the above Sri Lankans from the time of their arrest through their Court trial, and would facilitate the appeals against the death sentences on the three Sri Lankans. The three Sri Lankans who have been sentenced to jail terms and lashing have accepted the verdicts against them, and do not intend to appeal.

According to the Saudi Arabian regulations, the appeals against the verdicts have to be filed before the Court, within one month of the written judgment being delivered, which is expected shortly. The Foreign Ministry has directed the Consulate General in Jeddah to closely follow all developments in this case and continue to provide consular assistance to the Sri Lankan nationals, as well as facilitate the filing of the appeals. - Sri Lanka Guardian