10 June 2014 :

The death sentence passed by the Appeal Court on Royal Park murder case convict Jude Sharmantha Jayamaha was approved by the Supreme Court today.
High Court Judge Padmini Ranawaka stated that the decision was reached after the Supreme Court examined an appeal submitted by the convict.
The Appeal Court passed the death sentence on Jude Sharmantha Jayamaha after he was found guilty of murder on the 11th of July, 2012.
Earlier the Colombo High Court sentenced the convict to 12 years in prison for killing 18-year-old Swedish female Ivon Johnson at the Royal Park housing complex in Rajagiriya.
Later the convict submitted a petition to the Appeal Court against the High Court judgment while the Attorney General also submitted another petition claiming the 12-year imprisonment was not sufficient.
Accordingly the Supreme Court considered both petitions and rejected the petition filed by the respondent’s party.
Taking the Attorney General’s petition in to consideration the Appeal Court replaced 12-years of imprisonment with the death sentence.