Corpun file 22910

Ceylon Daily News, Colombo, 13 September 1999

Teenaged thief pays heavy price

P.D.A.S. Gunasekere, Ratnapura Group Corr

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Ratnapura Chief Magistrate and additional District Judge Wimal Nambuwasam imposed a three-fold punishment of whipping, suspended imprisonment and a standing prison sentence upon a teenage boy of 17 caught in the act of house breaking on the very day he was released from prison.

In this case Sunil from Udugala, Ayagama stood charged on three counts of house-breaking and theft, and retaining stolen goods and cash amounting to over Rs.3,400, breaking into a shop and stealing cigarettes valued at Rs.2,300 and cash Rs. 630 and breaking into a house as Ayagama and stealing a gold chain valued at Rs.4,000 together with other articles worth Rs.600.

The accused pleaded guilty to the charges.

The Magistrate ordered whipping three cuts and 12 months imprisonment for stealing the gold chain, six cuts for stealing cigarettes, and a six-month imprisonment suspended for 5 years, 6 cuts and imprisonment for 6 months RI for house breaking and retaining stolen goods and money.

The accused was whipped in open court (15 cuts in all) by the court sergeant.

Kiriella police prosecuted.