THREE TO DIE

Press, Volume C, Issue 29513, 13 May 1961, Page 11

THREE TO DIE

Murder Of Ceylon P.M.

(N Z.P.A .-Reuter —Copyright) COLOMBO, May 12. A former Buddhist High Priest, Buddharakitha Thero, was today sentenced to death for conspiracy in the murder of the Prime Minister of Ceylon (Mr Solomon Bandaranaike) in 1959. He will be hanged on June 20.

A Buddhist monk, Somarama Thero has been found guilty of the actual murder and of conspiracy to murder, and a businessman. H. P. Jayawardene, has also been found guilty of conspiracy. Mr Bandaranaike was shot down at hts Colombo home on September 25, 1959, and died the following day. The Court told all three that the sentence of death was fixed irrevocably by law for the crimes for which they were convicted, but statements made by them would be forwarded to the Gover-nor-General (Sir Oliver Goonetilleke) who had the power to commute the sentence.

The sentences on Somarama Thero and Jayawardene will be passed when they have completed their statements to the court.

The managing-editor of British United Press, in London. Mr F. Fisher, said yesterday that a correspondent in Colombo had reported earlier that the death sentence had been passed on the three men. This report was apparently on the basis of a wrong reoort from the Court. British United Press is making further inquiries, said Mr Fisher. The sentence of Buddarakitha Thero is the only known case of a Buddhist monk being executed in Ceylon.