The appeal petition filed by the seven accused who were sentenced to death for the murder and gang rape of Sivaloganathan Vidya was yesterday fixed support by the Supreme Court.
Seven accused including Mahalingam Shashikumar alias Swiss Kumar, were convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Sivaloganathan Vidya of Punguduthivu in 2015 by the Jaffna High Court Trial-at-Bar on September 27.
The Supreme Court three-judge-bench headed by Justice Preethi Padman Suraena fixed the appeal for support on May 19.Through their appeal, the seven accused stated that they were seeking the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to review and set aside their conviction and the death sentence imposed by the High Court.
Nine suspects, Poobalasingham Indrakumar alias Sinnappa, Poobalasingham Jeyakumar alias Ravi, Poobalasingham Navakumar alias Sendil, Mahalingam Shashidaren alias Shashi, Pillainandan Chandrakasan alias Chandra, Shivaderan Kushange alias Periyathamby, Palani Rubasingham Kuganathan alias Nishanthan, Jeyadaran Kokilan alias Kanna and Mahalingam Shashikumar alias Swiss Kumar were accused of the abduction, rape and murder of Sivaloganathan Vidya.
The first and the seventh accused, Poobalasingham Indrakumar alias Sinnappa and Palani Rubasingham Kuganathan alias Nishanthan were released due to lack of adequate evidence to prove their involvement in the murder.
The Trial-at-Bar headed by Vavuniya High Court Judge Balendren Sashi Mahendran included Jaffna High Court Judge Illancheliyan Manicckavasagar and Trincomalee High Court Judge Annalingam Prem Shankar.
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