The Supreme Court (SC) today (6) upheld the death sentences imposed by the High Court Trial-at-Bar on four accused, including ‘Swiss Kumar’, in connection with the abduction, gang rape, and murder of 18-year-old schoolgirl Sivaloganathan Vidya in the Jaffna District in 2015.

A five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, dismissed the appeals filed by the accused seeking their acquittal, thereby confirming the death sentences. The court also ordered the acquittal of two other accused in the case.

During the delivery of the verdict, three of the accused, who had been sentenced to death, were present before the court via Zoom technology.

The Attorney General had filed indictments against ‘Swiss Kumar’ and other defendants before a three-judge bench of the Jaffna High Court, charging them with the abduction, gang rape, and murder of Vidya as she was returning from school in the Punkuduthivu area on 13 May, 2015.

In 2017, the Trial-at-Bar of the Jaffna High Court sentenced seven accused to death after finding them guilty. The appeals before the Supreme Court sought to overturn those sentences and seek their acquittal or release.

It was noted that one of the accused had passed away during the appeal proceedings.