Sri Lankan court sentences man to 15 years for illegal possession of elephant

Colombo, Sep 19 (PTI) The Colombo High Court on Friday sentenced a man to 15 years imprisonment and imposed a fine of 20.6 million Sri Lankan rupees (INR 6 million approx.) for illegal possession of an elephant.

A three-judge bench delivered the verdict and ordered the elephant to be sent back to government custody.

The incident of the man, Samarappulige Niraj Roshan, also known as ‘Ali Roshan’, having five elephants illegally was reported in 2015. He was tried under the Public Properties Act.  The offences were said to have occurred between 2009 and 2015, reported News 1st media.

He and three others were charged with falsifying the entry at the Department of Wildlife registry. Out of the 33 charges filed, the court found Roshan guilty of two.

While Roshan was sentenced for possessing one elephant, the other three suspects were acquitted of the charges. PTI CORR SKS GSP