The Colombo High Court has sentenced to death a man who was convicted of the brutal murder of a woman in 2015, whose body was later discovered stuffed inside a suitcase at the Bastian Mawatha Bus Station in Colombo.
Colombo High Court Judge Aditya Patabendige delivered the verdict, convicting the suspect, Patrick Krishnaraja, of the murder of Dharmaraja Karthika, which took place at a lodge in Sea Street, Colombo 11, on July 29, 2015.
The body of the victim woman was later found stuffed inside a suitcase which was abandoned near the Bastian Mawatha Bus Station, sparking widespread public shock at the time.
The Attorney General had filed charges against Krishnaraja under multiple counts, including murder and concealing a corpse.
Following a lengthy trial, the court concluded that the prosecution had proven the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
Although the defendant maintained his innocence and addressed the court prior to sentencing, the judge ruled that the evidence presented during the trial was conclusive.
In delivering the final judgment, High Court Judge Patabendige stated that the nature and gravity of the crime warranted the imposition of the death penalty.
