The Colombo High Court yesterday (April 28) sentenced 05 persons to death over their involvement in a murder that took place in 2012.

Two more were sentenced to life imprisonment as they were minors aged 17 and 15, during the time of the crime.

The verdict was delivered by High Court Judge Navaratne Marasinghe.

The defendants were found guilty of three charges, including the murder of a 21-year-old using a blunt weapon.

A total of nine persons were involved in the incident, but two of them died while the case was continuing.

The Justice and National Integration Ministry has informed coroners that the bodies of all children under the age of five who die must undergo a mandatory post-mortem examination.

The Justice Ministry has issued a circular to coroners in this regard, stating that this is an essential part of the analysis of child deaths in Sri Lanka.

This step has been taken to identify common causes of mortality rates in children under five years of age and to take precautionary measures to prevent such deaths.

These post-mortem findings are to be used to study and analyse the causes behind these deaths, with the aim of reducing the mortality rate of children under the age of five.

Currently, post-mortem examinations are only conducted in cases of suspicious circumstances or accidents involving the death of a child.

The circular states that post-mortem examinations are required for all children under the age of five under the new law, even in cases where medical professionals have determined the cause of death is due to natural causes.

(dailynews.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

The Department of Meteorology says that the Intertropical Convergence Zone, where winds from the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere converge, affects the island’s weather.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at most places of the island during the afternoon or night today (April 29)

Showers may occur in Southern and Western provinces and Puttalam, Mannar and Jaffna districts in the morning too.

Heavy rainfall of about 100 mm is likely at some places in Central, Uva, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Vavuniya and Mullaittivu districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central and Uva provinces during the morning.